Legal Definitions - designatio personae

Definition: Designatio personae is a legal term that refers to the identification of a person by their class or category instead of their name. For example, "the children of A" instead of naming each child individually.

This phrase is often used in contracts or deeds to specifically identify a person. It can also be used as a word of limitation, such as "to my eldest son."

Example: In a will, a person may leave their property to "the surviving spouse" instead of naming them directly. This is an example of designatio personae.

Explanation: Instead of naming the spouse directly, the person is identified by their relationship to the deceased. This is a common use of designatio personae in legal documents.