patrimony

Etymology

From an earlier form patrimoyne, itself from patremoyne, from Middle French patrimoine or patremoine, a semilearned borrowing from Latin patrimōnium. This comes from pater, meaning "father", plus -mōnium, meaning "state, condition". First recorded in 1513. On the surface it looks like patri- plus -mony. Compare matrimony. It displaced the native Old English word fæderġestrēon.