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Webster 1913 Edition

Coverture

Cov′er-ture

(k?v′?r-t?r; 135)
,
Noun.
[OF.
coverture
,F.
couverture
.]
1.
Covering; shelter; defense; hiding.
Protected by walls or other like
coverture
.
Woodward.
Beatrice, who even now
Is couched in the woodbine
coverture
.
Shakespeare
2.
(Law)
The condition of a woman during marriage, because she is considered under the cover, influence, power, and protection of her husband, and therefore called a
feme covert
, or
femme couverte
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Coverture

COVERTURE

,
Noun.
1.
Covering; shelter; defense.
2.
In law, the state of a married woman, who is considered as under cover, or the power of her husband, and therefore called a feme-covert, or femme-couvert. The coverture of a woman disables her from making contracts to the prejudice of herself or husband, without his allowance or confirmation.

Definition 2024

coverture

coverture

English

Noun

coverture ‎(plural covertures)

  1. (law) A common law doctrine developed in England during the Middle Ages, whereby a woman's legal existence, upon marriage, was subsumed by that of her husband, particularly with regard to ownership of property and protection.
  2. Alternative spelling of couverture
  3. Shelter, hiding place.
    • 1599, William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing, Act 3 Scene 1
      URSULA. The pleasant'st angling is to see the fish
      Cut with her golden oars the silver stream,
      And greedily devour the treacherous bait:
      So angle we for Beatrice; who even now
      Is couched in the woodbine coverture.

Related terms

Old French

Etymology

covert +‎ -ure, from covrir ‎(“to cover”).

Noun

coverture f ‎(oblique plural covertures, nominative singular coverture, nominative plural covertures)

  1. covering; cover

Descendants

Etymology

From Middle English, from Old French coverture, from covrir ‎(“to cover”)

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