testate
- adjective
- /ˈtɛsteɪt/
- Formal
- The estate was distributed smoothly because the deceased died testate.
Examples
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The law provides different procedures for testate and intestate estates.
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The testate individual left behind a detailed will.
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It is important to be testate to ensure your wishes are respected after your death.
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If someone is testate, their wishes are legally documented.
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To ensure her final wishes were honored, she made sure to die testate with a valid will.
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He passed away testate, leaving his family a clear outline of how he wanted his assets divided.
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Having made a valid will, the testate individual was able to specify her wishes for her estate.
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Etymology
Testate comes from the Latin testare, which means 'to declare' or 'to be a witness', and it shares the root with testament and testify. So if someone is testate, they have already legally 'declared' their wishes in a will.