# patrimony

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpat.ɹɪ.mə.ni/ · frequency rank #52,546

## Definitions
1. A right or estate inherited from one's father; or, in a larger sense, from any male ancestor.
2. Formerly, a church estate or endowment.

## Etymology
From earlier patrimoyne, from patremoyne, from Middle French patrimoine/patremoine, semilearned borrowing from Latin patrimōnium, from pater (“father”) + -mōnium (“state, condition”). First attested in 1513. By surface analysis, patri- + -mony. Compare matrimony.
Displaced native Old English fæderġestrēon.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/patrimony