I. is-ˈchēt, ish-ˈchēt noun
Etymology: Middle English eschete, from Anglo-French, reversion of property, from escheir to fall, devolve, from Vulgar Latin * excadēre, from Latin ex- + Vulgar Latin * cadēre 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 United States when there are no legal heirs
II. verb
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
: to cause to revert by escheat
intransitive verb
: to revert by escheat
• es·cheat·able -ˈchē-tə-bəl adjective