Usucaption
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States · John Bouvier · 1839
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States
civil law, signifies the manner of acquiring the property in things by the lapse of time required by law. It differs from prescription, which has the same sense, and means, in addition, the manner of acquiring and losing, by the effect of time regulated by law, all sorts of rights and actions.
Merl. Répert. mot Prescription, tom. xii. pase 671; Ayl. Pand. 320; Wood’s nst. Civ. Law, 165; Lecons Elem. du Dr. Rom. § 437; 1 Brown’s Civ. Law, 264, n.; Vattel, B. 2, c. 2, § 140.