Adjacent Words

Coverture definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

COVERTURE, n.
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.

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: 13th century 1. a. covering b. shelter 2. the status a woman acquires upon marriage under common law

Britannica Concise

In law, the inclusion of a woman in the legal person of her husband upon marriage. Because of coverture, married women formerly lacked the legal capacity to hold their own property or to contract on their own behalf (see contract); similarly, a husband's tax payments or jury duty "covered" his wife as well. Aspects of coverture survived well into the 20th cent.; the term is still used in law when dividing jointly held property in divorce proceedings.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 covering; shelter. 2 Law hist. the position of a married woman, considered to be under her husband's protection. Etymology: ME f. OF (as COVERT)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Coverture Cov"er*ture (k?v"?r-t?r; 135), n. [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. --Shak. 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.