Coverture
Pronunciation : Cov"er*ture (kv"r-tr; 135)
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [OF. coverture,F.couverture.]
Definition : 1. Covering; shelter; defence; hiding. Protected by walls or other like coverture. Woodward. Beatrice, who even now Is couched in the woodbine coverture. Shak.
2. (Law)
Defn: The condition of a woman during marriage, because she is considered under the cover, influence, power, and protection of her husband, and therefore called a feme covert, or femme couverte.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913