Primogeniture
/ˌpraɪmoʊˈdʒɛnɪtʃər/noun
The right of the firstborn child, especially the eldest son, to inherit the whole or main estate.
Did you know?Primogeniture comes from Latin roots meaning “first born,” and for centuries it was a legal spell that could decide who got the kingdom, the castle, and the bloodline’s future.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
primogenitura
“first birth; being first-born”
Late Latin
Latin
primogenitus
“first-born”
Old French
Old French
primogeniture
“first-born status or right of inheritance”
Middle English
English
primogeniture
“the right of inheritance by the first-born”
Modern English
English
primogeniture
“the rule giving inheritance to the first-born child, especially the eldest son”