Among the descendants of the Celts in Ireland, a lord, or the proprietor of a tract of land; a governor or captain. This office or rank was elective, and often obtained by purchase or bribery.

In Ireland, a lord or proprietor of a tract of land or of a castle, elected by a family, under the system of tanistry.

In Ireland, a tenure of lands by which the proprietor had only a life estate, and to this he was admitted by election. The primitive intention seems to have been that the inheritance should descend to the oldest or most worthy of the blood and name of the deceased. This was in reality giving it to the strongest, and the practice often occasioned bloody wars in families.

In Ireland, a tenure of family lands by which the proprietor had only a life estate, to which he was admitted by election.