A.D. anno domini — the year of our Lord
a.d. ante diem — after date
admin. — administrator (of an estate)
ae. — at the age of; aged
affiant — a person making an affidavit
a.k.a. — also known as
appellant — a person who appeals
appellate — jurisdiction reviewing inferior courts
appellee — the party against whom an appeal is made
banns — notice of a proposed marriage
bona fide — good faith, without deceit or fraud
c., ca., circa — about the date
canon — a law or a body of laws of a church
chattel — any item of property except real estate
codicil — a supplement or addition to a will
cog., cogn., cognatus — cognate ( related by blood)
collation — appointment by a bishop
coparcenary — joint inheritance, partnership
consort — sharer, wife or husband
corporeal hereditaments — inheritable material things
counterpart — one part of a two-part indenture; the other part
being the original part
covenant — an agreement
cum testo annex — with the will annexed
de facto — of fact, founded on fact
denization — an adopted or naturalized citizen; a stranger admitted
to reside in a foreign country
demise — general term for the transfer of property
deponent — one who gives evidence, especially in writing
desc. — descendant
D.S. dal signo — document signed
D.S.P. decessit sine prole — died without issue
devise — a gift by will taking effect at donor's death
devisee — person who received property by will
devisor, testator — one who wills land to another
docket — a list of causes or parties in court for trial
dower — the part of a deceased husband's property a widow inherits
for her life
dowager — a widow with property derived from her husband
D.V.M. desait vito matria — died in mother's lifetime
D.V.P. decessit vito patria — died in father's lifetime
ead. eadem — the same
eoden die — same place and day (in court records)
erron. — erroneous, erroneously
et al. et alibi — and elsewhere; et alii — and others
et ux. et uxor — and wife
ex., exec. — executor
ex lib. — from the library (of)
f.; fol.; folio — page following, page folded once
fee simple — an absolute inheritance, without condition or restriction
Gdn. — guardian
glebe — land belonging to a parish or assigned to a minister
as part of his salary
h.a. hoc anno — in this year
H.J. hic jacet — here lies
H.J.S. hic jacet sepultus — here lies buried
holograph — a letter, document in the handwriting of the person
under whose name it appears
ibid. ibidem — in the same place, book, chapter, passage, etc.
imp. imprimus — in the first place, among first things
in loc. cit. in loco citato — in the place cited
intestate — without a testament or will of record
jointure — a settlement upon a woman of an estate, in lieu of
dower, in consideration of marriage
lib. liber — book
lin. — lineal
M.G. — Minister of the Gospel
M.M. — monthly meetings of the Society of Friends
mss. — manuscripts
n. natus — born
n.d. — no date
n.f.i. — no further information
n.f.k. — nothing further known
n.p. — no place
non compos mentis — not of sound mind
N.S. — new style (referring to a Gregorian calendar date)
nunc. — nuncupative will, an oral will later written
ob. — he (she) died
op. cit. opere citato — in work cited
ordinary — (law) in some states, a judge of probate; (in early
America) a tavern
O.S. — old style (referring to a Julian calendar date)
P.A., P.P.A. — power of attorney; per power of attorney
per se — by itself; in itself
primogeniture — the right or custom of the eldest to inherit
to the exclusion of the younger issue
prob., prov. — probated or proved
relict — a widow
R.I.P, requiscat in pace — rest in peace
sic — thus, so used
surrogate — the style or title of a judicial officer charged
with probate of wills, the administration of estates
