Which term describes the right of a spouse to inherit property held in the deceased spouse's name?

The term that describes the right of a spouse to inherit property held in the deceased spouse's name is "curtesy/dower." This legal concept addresses the rights of a surviving spouse concerning the property of the deceased spouse.

Curtesy refers to the rights that a husband has in the property owned by his deceased wife, while dower refers to the rights a wife has in her deceased husband's property. These rights are designed to provide a surviving spouse with a legal interest in their deceased partner's property, ensuring some level of support and financial security after the death.

In the context of real estate, this means that even if the property was solely in one spouse's name, the other spouse may have a claim or entitlement to a portion of that property upon death, depending on state laws. This foundational aspect of property rights reflects the legal recognition of the marital partnership and aims to protect the interests of the surviving spouse.