patrimony
noun
pat·ri·mo·ny
ˈpa-trə-ˌmō-nē 
1
a
: an estate inherited from one's father or ancestor
there were always children, and the patrimony was divided every time—
D. H. Lawrence
D. H. Lawrence
b
: anything derived from one's father or ancestors : heritage
These historic landmarks are an important part of our cultural patrimony.
2
: an estate or endowment belonging by ancient right to a church
canon law … aims at conserving the patrimony of the diocese—T. J. Reese
T. J. Reese
Examples of patrimony in a Sentence
These historic landmarks are an important part of our cultural patrimony.
her patrimony was the family's newspaper business
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet the world had remembered them as Russians, because of Moscow’s longstanding efforts to cast Ukrainian culture as Russian patrimony.
—Constant Méheut, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, also known as NAGPRA, was enacted in 1990 and calls for the protection and return of Native American remains, funerary objects, sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony to affiliated tribes.
—Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024
Exhibiting Native American human remains is generally prohibited at museums, so the collections being reassessed include sacred objects, burial belongings and other items of cultural patrimony.
—Zachary Small, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2024
This book documents his experience in those archives, navigating the bureaucracy that governs Egypt’s national patrimony and coming to know the people who inhabit this tiny corner of the country’s vast officialdom.
—Alan Mikhail, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2023
Our patrimony deserves civic and cultural institutions dedicated to our national memory and highest ideals.
—The Editors, National Review, 16 Oct. 2023
In 2023, the Kremlin updated the Fundamental Principles of Legislation on Culture, a document that regulates Russian cultural heritage and national patrimony, to advocate for a common Russian worldview and establish a cultural consciousness for the nation.
—Maria Snegovaya, Foreign Affairs, 16 Nov. 2023
In his view, malign outside forces—Austria-Hungary before World War I and the European Union today—had tried to divide Russia from its rightful patrimony.
—Margaret MacMillan, Foreign Affairs, 12 June 2023
Mexico is significantly amping up its efforts to recover stolen or missing cultural patrimony, and in the process roiling international antiquities markets.
—Robert P. Walzer, WSJ, 30 July 2022
Constant Méheut, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, also known as NAGPRA, was enacted in 1990 and calls for the protection and return of Native American remains, funerary objects, sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony to affiliated tribes.
—Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024
Exhibiting Native American human remains is generally prohibited at museums, so the collections being reassessed include sacred objects, burial belongings and other items of cultural patrimony.
—Zachary Small, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2024
This book documents his experience in those archives, navigating the bureaucracy that governs Egypt’s national patrimony and coming to know the people who inhabit this tiny corner of the country’s vast officialdom.
—Alan Mikhail, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2023
Our patrimony deserves civic and cultural institutions dedicated to our national memory and highest ideals.
—The Editors, National Review, 16 Oct. 2023
In 2023, the Kremlin updated the Fundamental Principles of Legislation on Culture, a document that regulates Russian cultural heritage and national patrimony, to advocate for a common Russian worldview and establish a cultural consciousness for the nation.
—Maria Snegovaya, Foreign Affairs, 16 Nov. 2023
In his view, malign outside forces—Austria-Hungary before World War I and the European Union today—had tried to divide Russia from its rightful patrimony.
—Margaret MacMillan, Foreign Affairs, 12 June 2023
Mexico is significantly amping up its efforts to recover stolen or missing cultural patrimony, and in the process roiling international antiquities markets.
—Robert P. Walzer, WSJ, 30 July 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'patrimony.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near patrimony
Cite this Entry
“Patrimony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patrimony. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
patrimony
noun
pat·ri·mo·ny
ˈpa-trə-ˌmō-nē
plural patrimonies
1
: an estate inherited from one's father or ancestors
2
: something passed down from one's father or ancestors : heritage
Legal Definition
patrimony
noun
pat·ri·mo·ny
ˈpa-trə-ˌmō-nē
plural patrimonies
1
: an estate inherited from one's father or ancestor
to deprive her and her coheirs of their patrimony—Wells Fargo Bank v. Kincaid, 260 Cal. App. 2d 120 (1968)
Wells Fargo Bank v. Kincaid, 260 Cal. App. 2d 120 (1968)2
: an estate or endowment belonging to a church
the property of a dissolved parish shall pass to the patrimony of the diocese
3
in the civil law of Louisiana
: the net assets of a person : the sum of a person's assets and liabilities
reimbursement shall be made from the patrimony of the spouse who owes reimbursement—Louisiana Civil Code
Louisiana Civil CodeEtymology
Middle French patrimonie, from Latin patrimonium, from patr- pater father
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