Definition of escheat

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escheatage >

es·cheat    (s-cht) KEY 

NOUN:

1. Reversion of land held under feudal tenure to the manor in the absence of legal heirs or claimants.
2. Law
   1. Reversion of property to the state in the absence of legal heirs or claimants.
   2. Property that has reverted to the state when no legal heirs or claimants exist.

intr. & tr.v.
Law es·cheat·ed, es·cheat·ing, es·cheats

To revert or cause to revert by escheat.

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ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English eschete, from Old French (from escheoir, to fall out), and from Anglo-Latin escheta both from Vulgar Latin *excadre, to fall out : Latin ex-, ex- + Latin cadere, to fall; see kad- in Indo-European roots

OTHER FORMS:
es·cheata·ble(Adjective)