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forfeiture

/ˈfɔːrfɪtʃər/
noun★Intermediate
⚖️Law
formal

The loss or surrender of property or rights as a penalty for breaking a law or contract.

The court ordered the forfeiture of the defendant's assets due to money laundering.

The court took away the defendant's assets as punishment for illegal financial activities.

The tenant's security deposit was subject to forfeiture for damaging the property.

The tenant could lose their security deposit because they caused damage.

💡

Common in legal contexts, often involving financial penalties or loss of property.

Collocations

forfeiture of rightslosing legal rights as punishmentforfeiture of propertylosing ownership of something as a penalty

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

forfeitverb
to lose something as a penalty

💡Pro Tip

Legal Context

Forfeiture is often used in legal documents and court proceedings.

⚡Gold Rule

Precision

Use 'forfeiture' for formal or legal contexts; 'loss' or 'penalty' for general use.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'forfeiture,' from Anglo-French 'forfaiture,' meaning 'a loss or penalty,' from 'forfait,' meaning 'a transgression.'

📝Usage Notes

Primarily used in legal contexts to describe the loss of property or rights due to a violation.

Word Breakdown

forfeit
to lose something as a penalty
root
+
-ure
the state or condition of
suffix
English Dictionary

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