from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
PRECIPUT, French law. An object which is ascertained by law or the agreement
of the parties, and which is first to be taken out of property held in
common, by one having a right, before a partition takes place.
2. The preciput is an advantage, or a principal part to which some one
is entitled, praecipium jus, which is the origin of the word preciput. Dict.
de Jur. h.t.; Poth. h.t. By preciput is also understood the right to sue out
the preciput.