gavelkind

G2A1V4E1L1K5I1N1D2
/ˈɡævəlˌkaɪnd/

noun

a system of inheritance associated with the county of Kent in England whereby, at the death of a tenant, intestate estate is divided equally among all his sons; also, a similar system employed in Ireland

OriginMiddle English gavelkynde →
Scrabble 18
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Meanings

noungavelkind (countable and uncountable, plural gavelkinds)

plural gavelkinds

  1. countablehistoricaluncountablea system of inheritance associated with the county of Kent in England whereby, at the death of a tenant, intestate estate is divided equally among all his sons; also, a similar system employed in Ireland

Origin

  1. Middle Englishgavelkynde
  2. Englishgavelkind

Inherited from Middle English gavelkynde; by surface analysis, gavel (“rent”) + kind (“lineage”).

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

gavelkind. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gavelkind

MLA

“gavelkind.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gavelkind. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gavelkind,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gavelkind.

Source: gavelkind on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.