cur·te·sy /'kər-tə-sē/ n pl -sies [Anglo-French curteisie, literally, favor, courtesy, originally in the phrase par la corteysie de Engleterre (tenancy) by courtesy of (the law of) England (as opposed to natural right)]: a husband's interest at common law in a life estate upon the death of his wife in the real property that she either solely owned or inherited provided that they bore a child capable of inheriting the property compare dower, elective share
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.