bona vacantia

noun plural

bo·​na va·​can·​tia
ˈbō-nə-vā-ˈkan-shē-ə
: goods that are unclaimed and without an apparent owner
it was trash, in the nature of bona vacantia, which the defendants had abandonedUnited States v. Calise, 217 F. Supp. 705 (1962)

Word History

Etymology

Latin, ownerless goods

Dictionary Entries Near bona vacantia

Cite this Entry

“Bona vacantia.” Merriam-Webster.com Legal Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/legal/bona%20vacantia. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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