Meaning
An object forfeited to the state (and supposedly to God) because it had caused the death of a person.
Etymology
Origin: Latin
From Anglo-Norman deodande, from Latin deodandum, from Deo dandum (“to be given to God”).
NYT Puzzle Appearances
No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025.