jointure
     n 1: (law) an estate secured to a prospective wife as a marriage
          settlement in lieu of a dower [syn: {legal jointure}]
     2: the act of making or becoming a single unit; "the union of
        opposing factions"; "he looked forward to the unification
        of his family for the holidays" [syn: {union}, {unification},
         {uniting}, {conjugation}] [ant: {disunion}]
Source: WordNet® 2.0