stirps

A family tree shows the stirps of a noble house.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A family line or ancestral stock: "stirps" refers to the branch of a family or the line of descent from a common ancestor. In legal contexts, it denotes the root or source of a family lineage.
   • A progenitor or root: In law, particularly in inheritance, "stirps" means the ancestor from whom a family or branch descends.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The inheritance was divided among the descendants of the same stirps. (The property was shared among relatives who share a common ancestor.)
  • In Roman law, the stirps determined the rights of succession. (The family line decided who could inherit.)

Advanced Usage

• "Per stirpes" (adverbial phrase): a legal term meaning "by root" or "by family branch," used in wills and inheritance to distribute assets among descendants of a deceased heir.
  • The estate was divided per stirpes, so each branch of the family received an equal share. (The property was split according to family lines, not per individual.)

Variants and Related Words

• Stirpiculture (n): the selective breeding of plants or animals, especially by controlled reproduction (rarely used).
  • Stirpiculture was a controversial practice in early genetics. (Selective breeding aimed at improving a species.)

Synonyms

• Lineage: direct descent from an ancestor; ancestry.
• Stock: the family or ethnic group from which a person originates.
• Root: the origin or source of a family line.

Related Idioms

• (No common idioms directly use "stirps"; however, the phrase "per stirpes" is a fixed legal expression.)
  • The will stated that assets would go to the grandchildren per stirpes. (The inheritance would be distributed by family branch.)

Notes on Usage

• "Stirps" is a technical term primarily used in law, genealogy, and historical contexts. It is rarely used in everyday conversation. In modern legal documents, "per stirpes" is more common than the singular noun form.