apanage

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a grant of land, revenue, or privilege made by a sovereign to a dependent member of a ruling family

   The younger prince received the province as an apanage rather than an independent kingdom.

2. 2
   noun

   a customary privilege, possession, or accompaniment regarded as naturally belonging to a position

   Political influence was treated as the apanage of the landed elite.

Borrowed from French apanage, from Old French apaner, 'to provide with the means of support,' ultimately from Medieval Latin appanare and Latin panis, 'bread.' The spelling appanage is now more common, but apanage is established.

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