Freehold

Freehold is literally "the holding of a freeman," and the estate of a freeman was originally for his own life only; but from a very early period freehold estates of larger quantity existed (i.e. estates of inheritance either in fee simple or feetail). Still, the original quality of the freehold is discernible in the following well-known and accurate definition: "An estate of freehold is any estate of uncertain duration, which may possibly last for the life of the tenant (i.e. the possessor) at least." [Estate, Feudal System.]