deathbed adoption of a successor; person adopted on someone's deathbed
Historical and legal term referring to the practice of adopting an heir on one's deathbed to prevent the extinction of the family line. Can refer to the act itself or the adopted person.
In the Edo period, deathbed adoption was permitted to prevent the extinction of a family line.
He succeeded to the family headship as a person adopted on the previous head's deathbed.