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deodand

noun
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de·​o·​dand | \ ˈdēəˌdand \
plural -s

Definition of deodand

: a thing that by English law before 1846 was forfeited to the crown and thence to pious uses because it had been the immediate cause of the death of a person

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History and Etymology for deodand

Anglo-French deodande, from Medieval Latin deodandum, from Latin Deo dandum that must be given to God

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Cite this Entry

“Deodand.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deodand. Accessed 21 January 2020.

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