fĭdĕĭ-committo (also separately fidei committo), mīsi, missum, 3, v. n. and a. [fides; lit., to intrust a thing to a person's good faith; hence], jurid. t. t.,
I to leave any thing by last will and testament to be delivered to a third party , to bequeath in trust : pater filium praedia alienare prohibuerat, sed conservare liberis et ceteris cognatis fideicommiserat, Dig. 32, 1, 38: avia nepotibus heredibus institutis fideicommisit, ut solida legata fratribus solverent, ib. 35, 2, 14; 30, 1, 114, § 3: qui intestato decedit et scit bona sua ad fiscum perventura vacantia, fidei fisci committere potest, ib. § 2: fideicommissa libertas, given by fideicommissum , Gai. Inst. 2, 267; Dig. 40, 5, 1 sq.
II —Hence, fĭdĕĭcommissum , i, n., a bequest given for the benefit of a third person , by way of request , not of command; and held to be equitably due out of respect to the wish of the testator (cf. legatum): fideicommissum est quod non civilibus verbis, sed precative relinquitur, nec ex rigore juris civilis proficiscitur, sed ex voluntate datur relinquentis, Ulp. Fragm. 25, 1: De fideicommissis, Dig. 30-32; Gai. Inst. 2, 246-289; Cod. Just. 6, 42; Suet. Claud. 23; Quint. 3, 6, 70; 9, 2, 74.