leviratical

Variant of levirate

levirate definition

levi·rate (lev′ə rit, -rāt′; lē′və-)

noun

a custom of the Jews in Biblical times by which a dead man's brother was obligated to marry the widow if there were no sons: Deut. 25:5-10

Etymology: L levir, husband's brother, brother-in-law (< *daiwer < IE *dāiwēr > Sans dēvár, Gr daēr, OE tacor) + -ate

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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