English
fee simple
Fee simple comes from Old French fief simple.
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400fief simple
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1604–1605fee simple
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400fief simple
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1604–1605fee simple
Earliest quotation: c. 1604–1605, William Shakespeare, All’s Well, that Ends Well: “Sir, for a Cardceue he will ſell the fee-ſimple…”
Every English word from Old French fief simple
Today it means
noun The private ownership of property (real estate) in which the owner has the right to control, use, and transfer the property at will.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old French fief simple / fee simple