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testate

testate

9.5
Someone who has made a legal will before they die
  • adjective
  • /ˈtɛsteɪt/
  • Formal
translation icon : testamentario
  • The estate was distributed smoothly because the deceased died testate.

Examples

  • The law provides different procedures for testate and intestate estates.

  • The testate individual left behind a detailed will.

  • It is important to be testate to ensure your wishes are respected after your death.

  • If someone is testate, their wishes are legally documented.

  • To ensure her final wishes were honored, she made sure to die testate with a valid will.

  • He passed away testate, leaving his family a clear outline of how he wanted his assets divided.

  • Having made a valid will, the testate individual was able to specify her wishes for her estate.

Antonyms

intestate
  • Formal
9.1

A person or property not left by a legal will when someone dies

Surface Forms

testate positive

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.