stellionate

noun

stel·​lion·​ate

ˈstelyənə̇t,

-ˌnāt,

usually -t+V

plural -s

Roman, civil, & Scots law

: a fraud not distinguished by a more special name

especially : a sale of the same property to different persons or the sale of something as one's own which belongs to another

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin stellionatus, from Latin stellion-, stellio crafty person (literally, a lizard marked with star-shaped spots, from stella star) + -atus -ate

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