Amoinder

/əˈmɔɪndər/ verb

Definition

An archaic legal term meaning to diminish, reduce, or lessen someone's rights or property.

Etymology

From Old French amoindre (to diminish) from Latin ad + minuere (to make small). Used in medieval English law and gradually became obsolete.

Kelly Says

This word is almost extinct from English, but it hung on in legal documents for centuries—lawyers were still using 'amoinder' to describe taking away someone's inheritance or rights, which is probably why the word disappeared when courts started writing more clearly.

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