iṣupo

Yoruba

Etymology

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

  • IPA(key): /ì.ʃú.k͡pó/

Noun

ìṣúpó

  1. levirate marriage, widow inheritance
    Synonym: opó-ṣíṣú

Usage notes

  • 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.
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