per stirpes

phrase

A method of distributing an estate to the descendants or heirs of a deceased legatee in which the estate is divided equally among the branches of a family or designated heirs, without regard to differing numbers of people in different branches.

Opposite
per capita
OriginLatin per →
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Meanings

phrase
  1. lawA method of distributing an estate to the descendants or heirs of a deceased legatee in which the estate is divided equally among the branches of a family or designated heirs, without regard to differing numbers of people in different branches.

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
per capita

Origin

  1. Latinper“by, through”
  2. Englishper stirpes

From Latin per (“by, through”) and stirpēs (“rootstock”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Polish per stirpes
  • per stirpesmethod of distributing an estate to the descendants of a deceased legatee in which the estate is divided equally among the branches of a family, without regard to differing numbers of people in different branches
Spanish por estirpe
  • por estirpemethod of distributing an estate to the descendants of a deceased legatee in which the estate is divided equally among the branches of a family, without regard to differing numbers of people in different branches
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

Source: per stirpes on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.