frankmarriage

noun

: the tenure in feudal law by which a man and his wife held an estate granted by a blood relative of the wife in consideration of their marriage, whether before or after it, to be held of the donor by the issue of the marriage to not less than the fourth generation and without other service than fealty

called also liberum maritagium

Word History

Etymology

Middle English franke mariage, from Anglo-French fraunk mariage, literally, free marriage

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!