noun
- the right of the firstborn child, especially the eldest son, to inherit the entire estate of a parent to the exclusion of younger siblings
Usage: historical and legal term; common in feudal and aristocratic systems
Examples
- Under the system of primogeniture, the eldest son inherited the family estate while his younger brothers received nothing.
- English law historically favored primogeniture to keep large estates intact across generations.
- The abolition of primogeniture in many countries allowed daughters and younger children to inherit equally.
- Primogeniture was a cornerstone of feudal property law in medieval Europe.
- The novel explores how primogeniture created tension between the heir and his disinherited siblings.
- Modern inheritance laws have largely replaced primogeniture with rules of equal distribution among heirs.