levirate

noun

le·​vi·​rate ˈle-və-rət  ˈlē- 

-ˌrāt

: the sometimes compulsory marriage of a widow to a brother of her deceased husband

leviratic

ˌle-və-ˈra-tik 

ˌlē-

adjective

Word History

Etymology

Latin levir husband's brother; akin to Old English tācor husband's brother, Greek daēr

First Known Use

1725, in the meaning defined above