respondentia

noun

re·​spon·​den·​tia
ˌrē-ˌspän-ˈden-chē-ə
: a loan secured by the goods on one's ship compare bottomry

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin respondent-, respondens, present participle of respondere to answer, correspond; from the fact that the loan is only a personal obligation on the part of the borrower who must “answer” for the money

Dictionary Entries Near respondentia

Cite this Entry

“Respondentia.” Merriam-Webster.com Legal Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/legal/respondentia. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!