Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

morgado

Noun

/mɔːrˈɡɑː.doʊ/

Definition

A morgado is a type of property ownership in Portugal, commonly associated with a particular legal arrangement where a portion of property is held in trust for specific heirs, often resembling an entailment.

Examples

The morgado was inherited by the eldest son, preserving the family’s wealth through generations.
During the feudal period, many landlords maintained morgados to ensure their estates remained intact.

Meaning

In some contexts, morgado refers to the estate or land itself that is held under this arrangement, significant in historical and legal studies related to Portuguese landholding.