patrimony
pronunciation
How to pronounce patrimony in British English:
UK [ˈpætrɪməni]
How to pronounce patrimony in American English:
US [ˈpætrɪmoʊni]
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- Noun:
- a church endowment
- an inheritance coming by right of birth (especially by primogeniture)
Word Origin
- patrimony
- patrimony: see patron
- patrimony (n.)
- mid-14c., "property of the Church," also "spiritual legacy of Christ," from Old French patremoine "heritage, patrimony" (12c.) and directly from Latin patrimonium "a paternal estate, inheritance from a father," also figurative, from pater (genitive patris) "father" (see father (n.)) + -monium, suffix signifying action, state, condition. Meaning "property inherited from a father or ancestors" is attested from late 14c. Figurative sense of "immaterial things handed down from the past" is from 1580s. A curious sense contrast to matrimony.
Example
- 1. Declared patrimony of humanity in 1993 by unesco .
- 2. It is their cultural patrimony , they say .
- 3. Unesco may fail to save the world 's patrimony unless it swallows its scruples and does likewise .
- 4. As guardian of a unique national environmental patrimony and a leader in renewable fuels , brazil is an important partner in confronting global climate change and promoting energy security .
- 5. While it is undisputed that the deal would have left canada in control of its potash deposits , and bhp was acknowledged to be a responsible owner , ottawa has deemed these safeguards to be insufficient to protect the country 's resource patrimony .