Escheatable

/ɪsˈtʃiːtəbəl/ adjective

Definition

Capable of being escheated; describing property or land that can legally revert to the state or lord when an owner dies without heirs.

Etymology

From escheat plus the suffix '-able' (capable of). Escheat comes from Old French 'escheoir' (to fall to, happen). Legal terminology from English property law.

Kelly Says

Escheatable property is land that the government eventually gets if you die with no heirs—it's the opposite of how most of us think about property, but it made perfect sense in feudal times when land belonged to the lord.

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