amparo

noun

am·​pa·​ro

ämˈpä(ˌ)rō

plural -s

1

Spanish law : a preliminary certificate issued to a claimant of land as a protection for the claim until a survey can be had and the full title vested

2

Spanish law : a proceeding analogous to habeas corpus

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, literally, protection, from amparar to protect, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin anteparare, from Latin ante before + parare to prepare

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!