iṣupo
Yoruba
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + ṣú (“to inherit (a widow)”) + opó (“widow”), literally “The act of inheriting a widow of one's male relative as a wife”.
Pronunciation
[edit]Noun
[edit]ìṣúpó
- levirate marriage, widow inheritance
- Synonym: opó-ṣíṣú
Usage notes
[edit]- While a widow is normally inherited by the brother or half-brother of her late husband, in some Yoruba societies, it may extend to any male relative of the late husband (older than the widow), including nephews, sons, and cousins.