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postremogeniture
Mar. 26th, 2012 07:15 ampostremogeniture (po-stree-moh-JEN-i-cher) - n., a system of inheritance under which the estate of a deceased person goes to his youngest son.
Or youngest child. Also, possibly more commonly, known as ultimogeniture. Contrast with primogeniture, inheritance by the eldest. When this system evolves, often the reasoning is that the youngest has remained at home caring for the aging parents while the older brothers have been out in the world making a living. Places it was practiced include parts of medieval England (particularly parts that were less strongly Norman dominated) and the ancient Near East. In southern Japan, until the practice was banned, all sons would inherit an equal share of the estate except the youngest son received a double share. And so on. From postrēmus, last, superlative of posterus, coming after, + geniture, pertaining to birth.
---L.
Or youngest child. Also, possibly more commonly, known as ultimogeniture. Contrast with primogeniture, inheritance by the eldest. When this system evolves, often the reasoning is that the youngest has remained at home caring for the aging parents while the older brothers have been out in the world making a living. Places it was practiced include parts of medieval England (particularly parts that were less strongly Norman dominated) and the ancient Near East. In southern Japan, until the practice was banned, all sons would inherit an equal share of the estate except the youngest son received a double share. And so on. From postrēmus, last, superlative of posterus, coming after, + geniture, pertaining to birth.
---L.
