LEVIRATE


Meaning of LEVIRATE in English

ˈlevərə̇t, ˈlēv-, -ˌrāt noun

( -s )

Usage: often attributive

Etymology: Latin levir husband's brother + English -ate; akin to Old English tācor husband's brother, Old High German zeihhur, Greek daēr, Sanskrit devṛ

: the marriage of a widow by the brother or occasionally the heir of her deceased husband sometimes (as among the ancient Hebrews) constituting a compulsory custom — compare junior levirate , sororate

• levi·rat·ic | ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷|rad.ik adjective

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.