heriot

[ her-ee-uh t ]
/ ˈhɛr i ət /

noun English Law.

a feudal service or tribute, originally of borrowed military equipment and later of a chattel, due to the lord on the death of a tenant.

Origin of heriot

before 900; Middle English heriot, heriet, Old English heregeate, heregeatu, heregeatwa war gear, equivalent to here army + geate, etc., equipment; cognate with Old Norse gǫtvar (plural)

Example sentences from the Web for heriot

British Dictionary definitions for heriot

heriot
/ (ˈhɛrɪət) /

noun

(in medieval England) a death duty paid by villeins and free tenants to their lord, often consisting of the dead man's best beast or chattel

Word Origin for heriot

Old English heregeatwa, from here army + geatwa equipment