bottomry

noun

bot·​tom·​ry
ˈbä-təm-rē
: a contract under which the owner of a ship pledges the ship as collateral for a loan to finance a journey
money lent on bottomry for…equipping the vesselLouisiana Civil Code
compare respondentia

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier bottomary, modification of Dutch bodemerij, from bodem bottom, hull, ship

Dictionary Entries Near bottomry

Cite this Entry

“Bottomry.” Merriam-Webster.com Legal Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/legal/bottomry. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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