a gift of property, usually by will, to be held on behalf of another who cannot receive the gift directly
Word origin
C18: from Late Latin: (something) bequeathed in trust, from Latin fidēs trust, faith + committere to entrust
fideicommissum in American English
(ˌfaidiaikəˈmɪsəm)
nounWord forms: plural-missa (-ˈmɪsə)
Civil Law
a request by a decedent that the heir or legatee to the estate convey a specified part of the estate to another person, or permit another person to enjoy such a part
Word origin
[1720–30; ‹ LL fideī commissum entrusted to faith, equiv. to fideī, dat. sing. of fidēsfaith + commissum, ptp. of committere to commit]This word is first recorded in the period 1720–30. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: arrangement, berm, deadwood, joker, personify