owelty

noun

ow·​el·​ty
ˈō-əl-tē
plural owelties
: a lien created or a pecuniary sum paid by order of the court to effect an equitable partition of property (as in divorce) when such a partition in kind would be impossible, impracticable, or prejudicial to one of the parties
an owelty award

Word History

Etymology

Anglo-French oelté equality, from Latin aequalitat- aequalitas

Dictionary Entries Near owelty

Cite this Entry

“Owelty.” Merriam-Webster.com Legal Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/legal/owelty. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!