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bastard eigne

[ eyn ]

noun

, Old English Law.
  1. the firstborn illegitimate son of parents whose second son was legitimate.


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Word History and Origins

Origin of bastard eigne1

First recorded in 1580–90; eigne, from Anglo-French: “elder,” Old French ainsné ( ainz “before,” from unattested Vulgar Latin antius, for Latin anteā + “born”); )

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