ALLODIAL

allodial (<<schwa>>-loh-dee-<<schwa>>l), adj. Held in absolute ownership; pertaining to an

allodium. Cf. FEUDAL. — Also spelled alodial. — allodially,adv.

“The term ‘alodial’ originally had no necessary reference to the mode in which the ownership

of land had been conferred; it simply  meant land held in absolute ownership, not in  dependence

upon  any  other  body  or  person  in  whom  the  proprietary  rights  were  supposed  to  reside,  or  to

whom the possessor of land was bound to render service. It would thus properly apply to the land

which  in  the  original  settlement  had  been  allotted  to  individuals,  while  bookland  was  primarily

applicable  to  land  the  title  to  which  rested  on  a  formal  grant.  Before  long,  however,  the  words

appear to have been used synonymously to express land held in absolute ownership, the subject of

free  disposition inter  vivos or by will.” Kenelm E. Digby,  An  Introduction to the History  of the

Law of Real Property 11–12 (5th ed. 1897). [Blacks Law 8th]