Jointure

Origin

From Old French < Latin iūnctūra.

Full definition of jointure

Noun

1. (obsolete) A joining; a joint.
2. (legal) An estate settled on a wife, which she is to enjoy after her husband's death, for her own life at least, in satisfaction of dower.
• ShakespeareThe jointure that your king must make,
  Which with her dowry shall be counterpoised.
• 1633, John Donne, Beasts do no jointures loseThough they new lovers choose;But we are made worse than those.

Verb

1. (transitive) To settle a jointure upon.

Related terms

• juncture