DESIGNATIO PERSONAE

designatio personae (dez-[schwa]g-nay-shee-oh p[schwa]r-soh-nee). [Law Latin] Designation of the person by class or category rather than by name, as “the children of A.” • This phrase was used to specifically identify a person in a contract or deed, often as a word of limitation (e.g., “to my eldest son”). Cf. DESCRIPTIO PERSONAE.