fee simple

noun

|Updated on: 6 Jun 2018

Definition of fee simple

plural fees simple

: a fee without limitation to any class of heirs or restrictions on transfer of ownership

Recent Examples of fee simple from the Web

The fundamental fee simple right to lease property does not specify a minimum duration of that lease.

— anthony graziano, miamiherald, "When does a house stop being a house? (And start being an office or a hotel?) | Miami Herald," 16 Mar. 2018
The grantor of the easement and all subsequent owners of the property retain full fee simple ownership of the land, but are bound by the terms of the deed of easement, which is recorded in the Land Records of the county.

— erika butler, The Aegis, "As Harford prepares to preserve 2,400 acres of farmland, council member attempts to discontinue program," 9 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fee simple.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of fee simple

14th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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Law Dictionary

fee simple

noun fee sim·ple

legal Definition of fee simple

plural fees simple

: a fee that is alienable (as by deed, will, or intestacy) and of potentially indefinite duration; especially : fee simple absolute in this entry

— fee simple absolute

: a fee that is freely inheritable and alienable without any limitations or restrictions on transfers and that is of indefinite duration

Note: A fee simple absolute is conveyed by language granting the estate “to the grantee and his or her heirs,” “to the grantee, his heirs and assigns,” or “to the grantee.” The term heirs is considered in this context a word of limitation, and so this does not create a future interest in the estate in the heirs but simply makes the estate freely alienable.

— fee simple conditional

: a fee granted to an individual and to that individual's descendants which is subject to a reversion or remainder if the grantee has no lineal descendants but which becomes a fee simple absolute and freely alienable upon the birth of a direct descendant — see also De Donis Conditionalibus — compare fee tail at fee

Note: The fee simple conditional is not recognized in England or the United States except in South Carolina.

— fee simple determinable

: a defeasible fee that automatically terminates upon the occurrence of a specified event or condition and which reverts to the grantor — compare estate on condition at estate

Note: A fee simple determinable is conveyed by language which states that the estate automatically terminates and reverts to the grantor, and which expresses duration (“so long as,” “until,” “during the time that”).

— fee simple on condition subsequent \-ˈsəb-si-kwənt\

: a defeasible fee that may be terminated by the grantor or assigns upon the occurrence of an event — called also fee simple subject to condition subsequent

Note: A fee simple on condition subsequent is conveyed by language that creates a right of entry or power of termination in the grantor and that expresses condition (“on condition that,” “provided that”).

— in fee simple

: under title that creates a fee simple (as a fee simple absolute)