Morganatic

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Morganatic \Mor`ga*nat"ic\, a. [LL. matrimonium ad morganaticam,
     fr. morganatica a morning gift, a kind of dowry paid on the
     morning before or after the marriage, fr. OHG. morgan
     morning, in morgangeba morning gift, G. morgengabe. See
     {Morn}.]
     Pertaining to, in the manner of, or designating, a kind of


     marriage, called also {left-handed marriage}, between a man
     of superior rank and a woman of inferior, in which it is
     stipulated that neither the latter nor her children shall
     enjoy the rank or inherit the possessions of her husband.
     --Brande & C. -- {Mor`ga*nat"ic*al*ly}, adv.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  morganatic
       adj : (of marriages) of a marriage between one of royal or noble
             birth and one of lower rank; valid but with the
             understanding that the rank of the inferior remains
             unchanged and offspring do not succeed to titles or
             property of the superior [syn: {left-handed}]