Legal Definitions - avowter

The term avowter is a historical legal and social designation for an individual who commits adultery.

Historically, the act of adultery itself was known as avowtry. This term is no longer in common legal use but provides insight into past societal views and legal frameworks concerning extramarital affairs.

• Example 1: Imagine a historical novel set in 17th-century England. A character, Sir Reginald, a married nobleman, secretly begins a romantic relationship with Lady Eleanor, who is also married to another lord. In the legal and social parlance of that era, Sir Reginald would be considered an avowter because he is engaging in an extramarital affair with a married woman.

• Example 2: During a church court proceeding in the 15th century, a local farmer named Thomas is brought before the ecclesiastical authorities. He is accused of having a sexual relationship with his neighbor's wife, despite both Thomas and the woman being married to other people. The accusation against Thomas would be that he committed avowtry, and he would be identified as an avowter in the context of this historical legal system.

• Example 3: In a small, tightly-knit community in the 18th century, a married woman named Martha is discovered to be having an affair with a married man from a nearby village. From the perspective of the community's moral and social codes, the man involved in this extramarital relationship would have been labeled an avowter, and his actions would be seen as avowtry, potentially leading to social ostracization or other community sanctions.