droit d'aubaine

noun

droit d'au·​baine

drwädōbān

: the right formerly possessed by the crown or state in France of confiscating all the property, real and personal, of which a domiciled alien died possessed

Word History

Etymology

French, right of escheat

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!