-
Trending Now:
More Trending:
- transgender beleaguer scaramouch non sequitur admiral's mast
- ALL
Definition of perpetuity
perpetuities
Read the Latest from M-W
perpetuity was our Word of the Day on 12/18/2015. Hear the podcast!
Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
Examples of perpetuity in a Sentence
lands that should remain in their wild state in perpetuity
Recent Examples of perpetuity from the Web
-
A permanent record of the student’s name, address, phone number, grades, attendance record, and year completed is maintained in perpetuity.
-
Too often, teams or nations that have nurtured one crop of players are assumed to have struck upon a magic formula to do so in perpetuity.
-
The success of Connecticut Trails Day is due in large part to the nonprofit Connecticut Forest and Park Association, which works to connect people to the land and to protect the state's woodlands, parks, trails, and open spaces into perpetuity.
-
The first portion would stay with the sheriff’s office in perpetuity, and the latter would go to roads and bridges.
-
In the settlement, which left the tobacco industry immune from future state and federal suits, the companies agreed to make annual payments to the states, in perpetuity, to fund public-health programs and anti-smoking campaigns.
-
The French no longer had the means to ensure the care of that memorial in perpetuity.
-
The endowment is in perpetuity, allowing the scholarship program to select an additional scholar every four years.
-
The ZECs would raise all customer bills by 5 percent a month and give the company an extra $300 million a year -- in perpetuity.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'perpetuity'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Continual existence—that elusive concept has made perpetuity a favorite term of philosophers and poets for centuries. The word derives ultimately from the Latin adjective perpetuus ("continual" or "uninterrupted"), which is also the source of our perpetual and perpetuate. It frequently occurs in the phrase "in perpetuity," which essentially means "forever" or "for an indefinitely long period of time." Perpetuity also has some specific uses in law. It can refer to an arrangement in a will rendering land forever inalienable (or at least, for a period longer than is set by rules against such arrangements) or to an annuity that is payable forever.
Origin and Etymology of perpetuity
Middle English perpetuite, from Anglo-French perpetuité, from Latin perpetuitat-, perpetuitas, from perpetuus
PERPETUITY Defined for English Language Learners
perpetuity
playDefinition of perpetuity for English Language Learners
-
: the state of continuing forever or for a very long time
Law Dictionary
perpetuity
playLegal Definition of perpetuity
perpetuities
1 : the quality, state, or duration of being perpetual devised to them in perpetuity
2a : the condition of a future estate limited in such a way as not to vest within the period fixed by law for the vesting of an estate; also : a limitation that gives rise to such a situation b : an estate that will not vest within the period fixed by law — see also rule against perpetuities, statutory rule against perpetuities
3 : an annuity payable forever
Learn More about perpetuity
-
See words that rhyme with perpetuity Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for perpetuity Spanish Central: Translation of perpetuity Nglish: Translation of perpetuity for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of perpetuity for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up perpetuity? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!