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Glite Dictionary
living will

living will

14 5.7
An official paper that says what medical care you want if you cannot make decisions
  • noun
  • /ˈlɪvɪŋ wɪl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : testamento vital
  • Courts in some states have authorized the use of living wills in the absence of applicable statutes.
  • durable living will
  • living will directive
  • durable power of living will

Examples

  • A living will outlines the type of medical treatment a person desires if they become unable to communicate.

  • Does Steve have a living will?

    Sunrise in Heaven (2019)

  • Even before you get too old and too sick, it's really helpful to have a living will.

    Blog text (5)

  • The living will allows clients to detail in writing their wishes regarding medical care.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Assess when a living will may be most beneficial.

    Academic text (1996)

  • An interdisciplinary team conference was scheduled to discuss his request to change his living will.

    Academic text (2005)

  • My young adult children have living wills and health care proxies.

    Blog text (5)

  • A short while later, Mr. G. expressed a desire to change his living will to include the discontinuance of artificial nutrition and fluids.

    Academic text (2005)

  • Many people choose to create a living will to ensure their medical preferences are followed in case of an emergency.

  • Before traveling abroad, she made sure to update her living will to reflect her current wishes.

Surface Forms

living will singular
living wills plural

Morphology

living + will

The components 'living' + 'will' give a plausible hint (a type of 'will' relating to someone who is living), but the precise legal sense—an advance directive about medical treatment when one cannot consent—is a specialized, conventionalized meaning not directly predictable from the constituents by a B1 learner. While many languages have comparable legal terms, understanding the exact function of a "living will" typically requires prior exposure or explicit explanation.

Etymology

Living will The noun living will comes from the idea of writing a will while you are living so your important medical 'wishes' are clear before you become unable to speak. That's why it means a legal paper that tells doctors what care you want if you cannot decide for yourself.