Definition

1. Noun:
   • A legal right to use and derive profit from property belonging to someone else, provided the property is not damaged or altered: A usufruct is a real right granted to a person (the usufructuary) to use and enjoy the benefits (such as fruits, rent, or income) from property owned by another (the naked owner), with the obligation to preserve the substance of the property.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The farmer was granted a usufruct over the land, allowing him to farm it and keep the harvest for twenty years.
  • Her grandfather's will gave her a usufruct of the apartment, so she can live in it but cannot sell the property itself.

Advanced Usage

• "to have/hold a usufruct over/on something": to possess the legal right of usufruct.
  • The charity holds a usufruct on the historic building, using the rental income to fund its operations.
• "to be in usufruct": describes the state of property being subject to this right.
  • The estate is currently in usufruct, so the heirs cannot dispose of the capital until the beneficiary's death.

Variants and Related Words

• Usufructuary (n): The person who holds the usufruct.
  • As the usufructuary, he is responsible for the maintenance of the house.
• Usufructuary (adj): Relating to or of the nature of a usufruct.
  • She has usufructuary rights to the dividends from the shares.

Synonyms

• Beneficial use: The right to use and benefit from property.
• Life estate (in common law): A similar but not identical interest in property that lasts for the lifetime of a person.

Related Terms and Concepts

• Naked ownership: The ownership of property subject to a usufruct, entitling the owner to regain full control once the usufruct ends.
  • After the usufruct expires, full control reverts to the naked owner.
• Fructus (Latin origin): Meaning "fruits," often referring to the profits or benefits derived from property, central to the concept of usufruct.

Noun

1. a legal right to use and derive profit from property belonging to someone else provided that the property itself is not injured in any way