morganatic

views updated

morganatic applied to a marriage of a man with a woman of inferior station in which wife and children do not share in his rights. XVIII. — F. morganatique, G. morganatisch, or their source medL. morganaticus, prob. based on Gmc. *murʒanʒeƀa (OE. morgenġifu, G. morgengabe; f. *murʒan- MORN + *ʒeb- GIVE) gift made by husband to wife on the morning after consummation of the marriage and relieving him of further liability.

More From encyclopedia.com