Wednesday

USUFRUCTUARY.. hugh? What did you say?


Jenny over at "Alphabet Thursday" wants us to use the letter "U"  Well,  I just don't want to use the usual words like, under, or upside down, I thought to find a word that most of us have never heard of. But, know what,  I'm sure we all do this from time to time but did we know it?


 USUFRUCTUARY

Right that allows the use of property that belongs to another. The owner of land that bounds or contains a natural water channel has a usufructuary right to use of the water. The water itself is considered to be held by the public with all adjacent property owners holding rights to its use. Restrictions on that use vary under state law.

 This term comes from Roman law. Usufruct is the right of temporary possession and enjoyment of something that belongs to somebody else, so far as that can be done without causing damage or changing its substance. For example, a slave in classical Rome could not own anything. Things he acquired as the result of his labour he merely held usus (et) fructus, under “use (and) enjoyment” — it was his master who actually owned them.

The term remains in use in modern US legal practice and elsewhere to mean somebody who “enjoys the fruits” of something, usually land. These days a usufructuary can be a trustee who enjoys the produce or income from property he holds in trust for somebody else. Many Native American groups hold land on a usufruct basis, with rights to enjoy the renewable natural resources of the land for hunting and fishing.

 Well, I know I enjoy the fruits of another persons property.. a few of my neighbors have grapefruit trees and they told me "Take all you want"  


You know I do!!


I'll be joining Jenny Matlock over at 

Alphabet Thursday 







12 comments:

Sandra@Beneath this Roof, Within these Walls said...

U know, don't U, that I Use that word all the time.It is part of my Usual conversation, Usually when Usurpers are Using my Usual parking area at the cUrb. It is qUite Uncommon to find Unknown people Using it, thoUgh.

(I consider myself to have a fairly decent vocabulary and command of the English language, but I didn't even believe that was a real word when I saw it. Thanks for the enlightenment. Now, I just have to find a way to work it into conversation. I don't have a waterway, darn it)!

SarahBeth said...

I didn't know there was a word for picking flowers or fruit that hang over the fence from your neighbor's yard! LOL!

Anonymous said...

SUper! I love to learn new words. :) this was perfect for the U!

Lmkazmierczak said...

I learned a new word! Happy 10-11-12♫♪

Rocky Mountain Woman said...

There is an ongoing argument here about fishermen walking along rivers that pass through private property.

Interesting!

VBR said...

love to learn about the origin of words.

and isn't it lovely that you have fresh grapefruit just steps away from your door.

Unknown said...

Never heard that word before...... but now will never forget it :D

Esther Joy said...

Very instructive! Great U word!

Tatiana said...

very cool word! funnily enough i heard it for the first time last week- odd that so unusual a word would appear again!

Zia
singing-blue.blogspot.ca

Pondside said...

Thank you for the new word - I love it! I don't know how or when, but I'm going to use it!

anitamombanita said...

wow! That was a mouth full. Thanks for enlightening me. I had never heard that word.

Jenny said...

Darn! Now I just find a time and place to use this in a sentence.

And impress everyone!

Definitely a mouthful of vowels and consonants in this super cool word.

thank you for sharing it.

A+