Enheritance

/ɪnˌhɛrɪtəns/ noun

Definition

An inheritance or property passed down from one generation to another; a legacy or ancestral endowment.

Etymology

From 'enheritage' with the noun suffix '-ance.' It's a variant of 'inheritance' with the intensifying 'en-' prefix, popular in Middle English legal language.

Kelly Says

In old English wills and property records, 'enheritance' appears as the fancy legal term—by using this version instead of plain 'inheritance,' scribes made it sound more official and binding, which people believed actually made it stick better in court.

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