Investiture

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. The act or ceremony of investing, or the of being invested, as with an office; a giving possession; also, the right of so investing. He had refused to yield up to the pope the investiture of bishops. Sir W. Raleigh.

2. Livery of seizin. The grant of land or a feud was perfected by the ceremony oinvestiture, or open delivery of possession. Blackstone.

3. That with which anyone is invested or clothed; investment; clothing; covering. While we yet have on Our gross investiture of mortal weeds. Trench.