Definition

Noun: A "parcener" is a person who shares equally in the inheritance of an estate, especially when the property descends to multiple heirs by law (such as co-heirs) rather than by will. This term is primarily used in legal contexts, particularly in reference to joint inheritance under common law.

Usage Examples

• (The three co-heirs each inherited an equal portion of the property.)
• (She was entitled to a share of the inherited land as a co-heir.)

Advanced Usage

• "Parcener by custom": a person who inherits property according to local customary law rather than statutory rules.

  • In some regions, the eldest daughter becomes a parcener by custom. (She inherits based on local tradition.)

• "Parcener in tail": a co-heir who inherits property subject to a fee tail (a restriction on inheritance to specific descendants).

  • The parcener in tail could not sell the land without the consent of the other heirs. (The co-heir's inheritance was limited by legal restrictions.)

Variants and Related Words

• Coparcenary (n): the legal relationship or joint tenancy between parceners.

  • The coparcenary was dissolved when the estate was formally divided. (The joint inheritance arrangement ended.)

• Coparcener (n): another term for a parcener, often used interchangeably.

  • Each coparcener held an undivided interest in the property. (Each co-heir had a share before partition.)

Synonyms

• Co-heir: a person who inherits jointly with others.
• Joint heir: a person who shares an inheritance with one or more others.

Related Idioms

• "To hold in coparcenary": to possess property as co-heirs without division.

  • The siblings held the estate in coparcenary for several years. (They shared the property as joint heirs.)

• "Partition among parceners": the legal process of dividing inherited property among co-heirs.

  • The court ordered a partition among the parceners to settle the dispute. (The property was split among the joint heirs.)