Thesaurus: levirate

Related headwords

Definitions

1. a. Alt. of Leviratical
2. n. the biblical institution whereby a man must marry the widow of his childless brother in order to maintain the brother's line
3. Of, pertaining to, or in accordance with, a law of the ancient Israelites and other tribes and races, according to which a woman, whose husband died without issue, was married to the husband's brother. The firstborn son of a leviratical marriage was reckoned and registered as the son of the deceased brother. Alford.
4. n. the biblical institution whereby a man must marry the widow of his childless brother in order to maintain the brother's line