discovert

A woman is considered discovert in legal terms.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Legal term: In historical English law, "discovert" describes a woman who is not under the legal protection or authority of a husband — i.e., she is unmarried, widowed, or otherwise not "covert" (covered by a husband's legal identity). This term is specifically used in the context of coverture, a common law doctrine where a married woman's legal rights were subsumed by her husband.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The court recognized her as a discovert woman, free to enter into contracts on her own behalf. (A woman not married, thus legally independent.)
  • Under the old law, a discovert widow could inherit property without needing a male guardian. (A widowed woman not under a husband's authority.)

Advanced Usage

• "Feme discovert": A historical legal phrase (from Anglo-Norman French) referring to an unmarried or widowed woman.
  • A feme discovert could sue or be sued in her own name, unlike a married woman. (An unmarried woman had full legal capacity.)

Variants and Related Words

• Covert (adj): In historical law, referring to a married woman whose legal rights were covered by her husband.
  • A feme covert could not own property independently. (A married woman under coverture.)
• Coverture (n): The legal status of a married woman, considered under her husband's protection and authority.
  • Coverture was abolished in many jurisdictions in the 19th century. (The legal doctrine of marital subordination.)

Synonyms

• Unmarried: not joined in marriage.
• Single: not married or in a romantic partnership.
• Widowed: having lost a spouse by death and not remarried (if applicable).

Related Idioms

Phrasal Verbs