USUCAPTION

USUCAPTION, civil law. The manner of acquiring property in things by the lapse of time required by law.

2. It differs from prescription, which has the same sense, and means, in addition, the manner of acquiring and losing, by the effect of time regulated by law, all sorts of rights and actions. Merl. Repert. mot Prescription, tom. xii. page 671; Ayl. Pand. 320; Wood's Inst. Civ. Law, 165; Lecons Elem. du Dr. Rom. §437; 1 Browne's Civ. Law, 264, n.; vattel, ii. 2, c. 2, §140.