Law Dictionary of Legal Terminology

PRETERITION

PRETERITION, civil law. The omission by a testator of some one of his heirs who is entitled to a legitime, (q. v.) in the succession.

2. Among the Romans, the preterition of children when made by the mother were presumed to have been made with design; the preterition of sons by any other testator was considered as a wrong and avoided the will, except the will of a soldier in service, which was not subject to so much form.