n.
Pronunciation: is- ' ch ē t, ish- ' ch ē t
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English eschete, from Anglo-French, reversion of property, from escheir to fall, devolve, from Vulgar Latin *excad ē re, from Latin ex- + Vulgar Latin *cad ē re to fall, from Latin cadere ― more at CHANCE
Date: 14th century
1 : escheated property
2 a : the reversion of lands in English feudal law to the lord of the fee when there are no heirs capable of inheriting under the original grant b : the reversion of property to the crown in England or to the state in the U.S. when there are no legal heirs