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)
Words nearby heriot
hereupon,
hereward,
herewith,
hergesheimer,
hering,
heriot,
herisau,
heritability,
heritable,
heritage,
heritance
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