1. Roman law. The real contract (pignus) under which a debtor handed something over to a creditor as security; the act of depositing as a pledge. — Also spelled pigneratio.
2. Civil law. The impounding of another’s cattle (or other animals) that have damaged property until the cattle’s owner pays for the damage. Pl. pignorationes (pig-n[schwa]-ray-shee-oh-neez).
