primogeniture
noun
pri·mo·gen·i·ture
| \ ˌprī-mō-ˈje-nə-ˌchu̇r
, -chər, -ˌtyu̇r, -ˌtu̇r\
, -chər, -ˌtyu̇r, -ˌtu̇r\
Definition of primogeniture
1
: the state of being the firstborn of the children of the same parents
2
: an exclusive right of inheritance belonging to the eldest son
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Examples of primogeniture in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And there’s something about the idea of primogeniture — the eldest brother getting the estate, and everyone else has to fall in line — that didn’t feel right in the Jazz Age. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "‘As You Like It’ opens Globe’s Shakespeare Festival with its story of love and friendship," 16 June 2019 The United Kingdom got rid of their primogeniture law in 2011, declaring that William and Kate Middleton’s firstborn child, boy or girl, would be the next ruler of England. — Elise Taylor, Vogue, "Another Japanese Princess Has Chosen Love Over Her Royal Title," 26 June 2018 When Charles Martel died in 1295, his young son Carobert should have been next in line according to the law of primogeniture. — Anne Thériault, Longreads, "Queens of Infamy: Joanna of Naples," 3 July 2018 But during his reign, Sweden’s law of absolute primogeniture was passed. — Madeleine Luckel, Vogue, "Should the Swedish Royal Family Be Your New Obsession? An Introduction," 31 May 2018 For hundreds of years, the laws of succession to the British throne have followed male-preference primogeniture –placing all brothers ahead of sisters in line for the crown. — Kate Keller, Smithsonian, "Why Princess Charlotte Just Made Royal History," 24 Apr. 2018 The Succession to the Crown Act, subsequently passed by Parliament in 2013, formalized that the succession order would follow absolute – or gender-blind – primogeniture. — Kate Keller, Smithsonian, "Why Princess Charlotte Just Made Royal History," 24 Apr. 2018 Well into the 21st century British law favored male primogeniture, or that a male child has a greater right to the throne than a female child. — Elise Taylor, Vogue, "The New Royal Baby Will Be 5th in Line to the Throne—But It Wasn’t Always That Way," 23 Apr. 2018 Shortly before older brother George was born, British law changed to make birth order the determining factor in succession, replacing gender — male primogeniture — as the default rule that developed over 10 centuries. — Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, "Royal baby: Kate Middleton in 'early stages ' of labor, palace says," 23 Apr. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'primogeniture.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for primogeniture
primogeniture
noun
pri·mo·gen·i·ture
| \ ˌprī-mō-ˈje-nə-ˌchu̇r
\
\
Legal Definition of primogeniture
1
: the state of being the firstborn of the children of the same parents
2
: exclusive right of inheritance
specifically
: a right to take all the real property of an estate belonging under English law to the eldest son or eldest male in the next degree of consanguinity if there is no son of an ancestor to the exclusion of all female and younger male descendants