patrimony Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a church endowment
  2. noun an inheritance coming by right of birth (especially by primogeniture)
    birthright.

WordNet

Pat"ri*mo*ny noun
Etymology
L. patrimonium, fr. pater father: cf. F. patrimoine. See Paternal.
Wordforms
plural Patrimonies
Definitions
  1. A right or estate inherited from one's father; or, in a larger sense, from any ancestor. "'Reave the orphan of his patrimony." Shak.
  2. Formerly, a church estate or endowment. Shipley.

Webster 1913