n. pl. pat·ri·mo·nies 1. a. An inheritance from a father or paternal ancestor. b. An inheritance or legacy; heritage. 2. An endowment or estate belonging to an institution, especially a church. [Middle English, from Old French patrimoine, from Latin patrimōnium, from pater, patr-, father; see pəter- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] pat′ri·moni·al adj. pat′ri·moni·al·ly adv. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.