A clause in a legal document, especially a deed or contract, that defines what is being transferred or the extent of what is being granted.
From Latin 'habendum,' the gerundive form of 'habere' meaning 'to be held' or 'to be had.' In property law, it specifies the terms of possession.
Legal writing froze Latin gerundives into permanent formulas—lawyers still use 'habendum clauses' because tradition demands it, even though we could say the same thing in plain English.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.