patrimony
Other forms: patrimonies
Something that's handed down from your father is an example of patrimony, like your name or your antique dining room table.
Use the noun patrimony to describe an inheritance, especially if it comes from your father's side of the family through many generations. If your great-great-grandfather built the house you live in, it is your patrimony. The Latin origin of the word patrimony is pater, or "father," plus mōnium, "state or condition."
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an inheritance coming by right of birth (especially by primogeniture)synonyms: birthrighttype of:heritage, inheritancethat which is inherited; a title or property or estate that passes by law to the heir on the death of the owner
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a church endowment
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Vocabulary lists containing patrimony
Be a kindred spirit by learning this list of vocabulary related to family.
The full title of this declaration includes a focus on citizenship, and it was published two years after the declaration of rights for men and immediately after the National Assembly of France rejected a proposal to extend the rights to women. With an ironic tone, the writer and activist Olympe de Gouges dedicated it to Marie Antoinette, who -- as a woman -- was not seen as an equal. And, as a queen, she did nothing to promote gender equality (yet she was eventually given a trial and death sentence equal to that of King Louis XVI). While a postscript and form for a social contract are also included, the main structure and contents of this declaration parallel and parody its male counterpart. Compare these lists to hear the echoes. E-text available here. Here are links to our lists on rights: The Declaration of Independence, Declaration of the Rights of Man, Declaration of the Rights of Woman, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Learn these words derived from the Latin roots pater and patris, meaning "father."