Donatio propter nuptias

A gift on accountof marriage. In Roman law, the bridegroom’s gift to the bride in anticipation of marriage and to secure her dos was called “donatio ante nuptias;” but by an ordinance of Justinian such gift might be made after as well as before marriage, and in that case it was called “donatio prepter nuptias.” Mackeld. Rom. Law, § 572.

Lat.

In the civil law. A gift on account of marriage. Inst. 2. 7. 3. A gift made by a husband to his wife by way of security for her dos or marriage portion. Hallifax Anal. b. 2, ch. 6, num. 16. Called in Greek hypobolon, that is, a counter or mutual gift. Calv. Lex. Jurid. This was introduced by the later Roman emperors and at first called donatio ante nuptias, (a gift before marriage,) it being made upon the tacit condition that it should take effect when the marriage was celebrated, and it was never allowed after marriage. Justinian first allowed it as well after as before marriage, and accordingly changed its name to donatio propter nuptias. Inst. 2. 7. 3. Bracton uses it as another name for the old English dower ad ostium ecclesiae, or dower according to the custom of England. Bract. fol. 92 b. See Dower, Dos.