morganatic
[ mawr-guh-nat-ik ]
/ ˌmɔr gəˈnæt ɪk /
adjective
of or relating to a form of marriage in which a person of high rank, as a member of the nobility, marries someone of lower station with the stipulation that neither the low-ranking spouse nor their children, if any, will have any claim to the titles or entailed property of the high-ranking partner.
Origin of morganatic
1720–30; < New Latin
morganāticus (adj.), for Medieval Latin phrase (
mātrimōnium)
ad morganāticam (marriage) to the extent of morning-gift (
morganātica representing Germanic
*morgangeba (feminine); compare Old English
morgengiefu gift from husband to wife on day after wedding)
OTHER WORDS FROM morganatic
mor·ga·nat·i·cal·ly, adverbWords nearby morganatic
morgan city,
morgan hill,
morgan le fay,
morgan's bacillus,
morgan, j. pierpont,
morganatic,
morganite,
morganton,
morgantown,
morgen,
morgenthau
Example sentences from the Web for morganatic
British Dictionary definitions for morganatic
morganatic
/ (ˌmɔːɡəˈnætɪk) /
adjective
of or designating a marriage between a person of high rank and a person of low rank, by which the latter is not elevated to the higher rank and any issue have no rights to the succession of the higher party's titles, property, etc
Derived forms of morganatic
morganatically, adverbWord Origin for morganatic
C18: from the Medieval Latin phrase
mātrimōnium ad morganāticum marriage based on the morning-gift (a token present after consummation representing the husband's only liability);
morganātica, ultimately from Old High German
morgan morning; compare Old English
morgengiefu morning-gift