coparcener: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

No, it is an archaic technical term from historical English property law. You will almost never encounter it outside of legal history contexts.

While all coparceners are co-heirs, 'coparcener' is a more specific legal term. It refers to co-heirs (typically females) who together form a single heir under the old common law rule of coparcenary, holding an estate jointly with a right of survivorship and an undivided interest. 'Co-heir' is a broader, less technical term.

In England and Wales, the modern law of inheritance, established by the Administration of Estates Act 1925, effectively abolished the old real property rules, including coparcenary. The term is now primarily of historical interest.

Historically, coparcenary arose most famously when an inheritance descended to females (e.g., sisters). While males could theoretically be coparceners if they inherited jointly as a single heir (e.g., in the absence of a sole male heir), the classic and most cited examples involve female coheiresses.

A person who inherits an estate jointly with others, typically by descent, where all have equal rights to possession.

Coparcener is usually technical / archaic (law) in register.

Coparcener: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkəʊˈpɑːs(ə)nə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkoʊˈpɑːrsənər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.