jointress

A widow receives her jointress inheritance from her late husband's estate.

Definition

1. Noun (Law):
   • A widow who holds a jointure: A "jointress" is a woman who, upon the death of her husband, receives a legal estate or property settlement (a jointure) that was arranged before marriage. This is a specific legal term referring to a widow entitled to a life interest in property as part of her marriage settlement.

Usage Examples

• (The widow received the property as part of the prenuptial agreement.)
• (She was legally entitled to the property after her husband's death.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be a jointress in fee": to hold a jointure as a legal estate in land, not merely as a life interest.
  • The documents confirmed she was a jointress in fee, meaning she owned the land outright. (She had full ownership, not just a temporary right.)

Variants and Related Words

• Jointure (n): a legal settlement of property on a wife for her use after her husband's death.

  • The marriage contract included a generous jointure for the bride. (The property was set aside for her future security.)

• Joint tenant (n): a person who holds property jointly with another person, with rights of survivorship (distinct from a jointress).

  • As joint tenants, they both owned the house equally. (They shared ownership, unlike a jointress who receives property after death.)

Synonyms

• Dowager: a widow with a title or property from her deceased husband (more general, not exclusively legal).
  • The dowager lived in the dower house after her husband's death. (A widow with inherited property.)
• Legatee: a person who receives property through a will (broader term, not specific to widows).
  • She was the sole legatee of her uncle's estate. (She inherited property via a will.)

Related Idioms

• "To hold a jointure": to have a legal right to property as a jointress.
  • After the trial, the widow was confirmed to hold a jointure over the estate. (Her legal claim was upheld.)