barratry

noun

bar·​ra·​try ˈber-ə-trē 

ˈba-rə-

plural barratries

1

: the purchase or sale of office or preferment in church or state

2

: an unlawful act or fraudulent breach of duty by a master of a ship or by the mariners to the injury of the owner of the ship or cargo

3

: the persistent incitement of litigation

Examples of barratry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But cases for barratry are rarely prosecuted. —Patrick Danner, San Antonio Express-News, 24 June 2021

Tran withdrew her federal suit against Watts for identity theft, but filed another one in state court, along with the barratry claim against him and Hilliard, both of whom deny any wrongdoing. —Francesca Mari, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Middle English (Scots) barratrie, from Anglo-French *baraterie, literally, deception, from Old French barater to be active, do business, cause strife, deceive, perhaps from Vulgar Latin *prattare, from Greek prattein, prassein to do — more at practical

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

barratry

noun

bar·​ra·​try ˈbar-ə-trē 

plural barratries

1

: an unlawful act or fraudulent breach of duty by a ship's master or crew that injures the interests of the ship's or cargo's owners

—often used in marine insurance policies

Note: Examples of barratry include embezzling cargo, stealing a ship's equipment, or willfully sinking a ship.

2

: the persistent incitement of litigation

Etymology

Middle French baraterie deception, from barater to deceive, cheat