bona vacantia

noun

The principle that there is no unowned property, and that if there is no other owner then property vests in the Crown.

“"The company asked also for an express vesting order concerning the land, which had legally gone to the Crown as bona vacantia" http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=WvY3AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA814&dq=bona+vacantia”

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Meanings

nounbona vacantia (uncountable)
  1. UKuncountablelawThe principle that there is no unowned property, and that if there is no other owner then property vests in the Crown.

    "The company asked also for an express vesting order concerning the land, which had legally gone to the Crown as bona vacantia" http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=WvY3AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA814&dq=bona+vacantia

Origin

Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

bona vacantia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bona%20vacantia

MLA

“bona vacantia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bona%20vacantia. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bona vacantia,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bona%20vacantia.

Source: bona vacantia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.