maritage
maritage
(ˈmærɪtɪdʒ)n
1. (Historical Terms) the right of a lord to choose the spouses of his wards
2. (Historical Terms) a sum paid to a lord in lieu of his exercising this right
[C16: from Medieval Latin marītāgium, a Latinized form of French mariage marriage]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014