levir

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin lēvir.

Noun

levir (plural levirs)

1. A husband's brother.
   • 2001, David L. Lieber, Jules Harlow, Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary, page 236:

     The tie between the childless widow and the levir exists automatically from the moment of widowhood. Thus a sexual relationship with anyone other than the levir would be adulterous, an offense punishable by the death penalty, according to Lev. 20:10 and Deut. 22:22.

   • 2008, Deborah L. Ellens, Women in the Sex Texts of Leviticus and Deuteronomy: A Comparative Conceptual Analysis, Bloomsbury, →ISBN, page 261:

     Levirate marriage protects a levir's sexual property and a dead man's entitlement. The former, however, serves the latter.

Usage notes

• Used in reference to levirate marriages.

Anagrams

• Elvir, Liver, ervil, liver, livre, rivel, viler

Ido

Verb

levir

1. past infinitive of levar