demesne

 
Pronunciation: /dɪˈmeɪn, dɪˈmiːn/

noun

historical
  • 1a piece of land attached to a manor and retained by the owner for their own use: because labour was cheap, there were ample advantages in cultivating the demesne
  • the lands of an estate: a levy of one tenth on property in the royal demesne
  • archaic a region or domain: she may one day queen it over that fair demesne
  • 2 [mass noun] Law possession of real property in one’s own right.

Phrases

held in demesne

(of an estate) occupied by the owner, not by tenants.

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French demeine (later Anglo-Norman French demesne) 'belonging to a lord', from Latin dominicus, from dominus 'lord, master'. Compare with domain