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.