escheat

Meanings

Noun

• The return of property of a deceased person to the state (originally to a feudal lord) where there are no legal heirs or claimants.
• The property so reverted.
• Plunder, booty.
• That which falls to one; a reversion or return.

Verb

• To put (land, property) in escheat; to confiscate.
• To revert to a state or lord because its previous owner died without an heir.

Origin

• From Middle English eschete, from Anglo-Norman escheat, Old French eschet, escheit, escheoit, from the past participle of escheoir, from Vulgar Latin *excadō, from Latin ex + cadō.