Legal Definitions - legare

Definition: Legare (lə-gair-ee) is a Latin term used in Roman law. It means to leave a specific item or items to someone who is not an heir, or to give such a bequest to an heir before the estate is divided among the heirs.

Example 1: John's father left him a will that legare his antique car to his best friend, Tom. This means that John's father specifically left the antique car to Tom, even though Tom is not an heir.

Example 2: Maria's grandfather legare his collection of rare coins to her before his estate was divided among his heirs. This means that Maria's grandfather gave her the rare coins before they were divided among the other heirs.

These examples illustrate how legare is used in Roman law to specify a particular item or items to be given to someone who is not an heir or to an heir before the estate is divided. Legare is a way to ensure that a specific item is given to a particular person, even if they are not entitled to it as an heir.