Legal Definitions - dum sola

DUM SOLA

Dum sola is a Latin phrase that means "while single." It was commonly used to limit conveyances, especially to women.

• dum sola fuerit ("while she remains single")
• dum sola et casta vixerit ("while she remains single and chaste")
• dum sola et casta ("while she is unmarried and lives chastely")

These examples illustrate how dum sola was used to restrict the transfer of property to unmarried women. The phrase was often included in legal documents to ensure that the property would remain in the family and not be transferred to a husband or his family.