Escheat Definition
ĭs-chēt
escheats
noun
The reverting of property to the lord of the manor (in feudal law), to the crown (in England), or to the government (in the U.S.) when there are no legal heirs.
Webster's New World
Reversion of property to the state in the absence of legal heirs or claimants.
American Heritage
Property so reverting.
Webster's New World
Property that has reverted to the state when no legal heirs or claimants exist.
American Heritage
The transfer of property to government ownership when its owner dies without a will or any heirs; property that is so transferred.
Webster's New World Law
verb
To revert or cause to revert by escheat.
American Heritage
To cause to escheat; confiscate.
Webster's New World
To revert or go by escheat.
Webster's New World
(of property) To revert to a state or lord because its previous owner died without an heir.
Wiktionary
Origin of Escheat
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Middle English eschete from Old French (from escheoir to fall out) and from Anglo-Latin escheta both from Vulgar Latin excadēre to fall out Latin ex- ex- Latin cadere to fall kad- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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From Middle English eschete, from Anglo-Norman escheat, Old French eschet, escheit, escheoit (“that which falls to one”), from the past participle of eschoir (“to fall”), from Vulgar Latin *excadō, from Latin ex + cadō (“I fall”).
From Wiktionary
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