bastardy
Noun: - The condition of being born to parents who are not legally married to each other; illegitimacy. This term refers to the legal and social status of a person whose biological parents were not married at the time of their birth.
The word "bastardy" is a formal, historical, or legal term. It is now considered archaic and potentially offensive in everyday language. Modern English typically uses "illegitimacy" in legal contexts or more descriptive, neutral phrases like "born out of wedlock" in general usage. It is used to discuss historical contexts, legal history, or in literary analysis.
- Noun:
- In medieval England, laws of inheritance often discriminated against children based on bastardy.
- The old records contained a court case concerning the bastardy of the heir.
- The novel explores the social stigma associated with bastardy in the 19th century.
- "Bastardy proceeding": A legal action, historically common, to officially establish the paternity of a child born out of wedlock and to secure financial support.
- The mother initiated a bastardy proceeding to compel the father to provide child support.
- Bastard (noun): An archaic and offensive term for a person born out of wedlock. Warning: This word is now primarily a severe vulgar insult and should be avoided.
- Illegitimacy (noun): The modern, formal term for the state of being born to unmarried parents.
- Illegitimate (adjective): Born of parents not married to each other.
- Illegitimacy: (The closest direct synonym in modern usage.)
- Birth out of wedlock: (A neutral descriptive phrase.)
Note: As "bastardy" is a specific-status noun, it does not have common phrasal verbs. Related offensive historical idioms exist but are not recommended for use. - "To be born on the wrong side of the blanket": An old, euphemistic idiom meaning to be born illegitimately. - Rumors suggested the duke's favorite companion was born on the wrong side of the blanket.
- the status of being born to parents who were not married