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

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