probate

American  

[proh-beyt] / ˈproʊ beɪt /

noun

1. Law. the official proving of a will as authentic or valid in a probate court.

2. an officially certified copy of a will so proved.

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adjective

1. of or relating to probate or a probate court.

verb (used with object)

probates, present (3rd person singular) probated, past participle, past probating present participle

1. to establish the authenticity or validity of (a will).

2. Law. to put (an offender) on probation.

probate British  

/ -beɪt, ˈprəʊbɪt /

noun

1. the act or process of officially proving the authenticity and validity of a will

2. 1. the official certificate stating a will to be genuine and conferring on the executors power to administer the estate

   2. the probate copy of a will

3. (in the US) all matters within the jurisdiction of a probate court

4. (modifier) of, relating to, or concerned with probate

   probate value

   a probate court

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verb

1. (tr) to establish officially the authenticity and validity of (a will)

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unprobated
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have probated
  perfect
• has probated
  perfect 3rd person singular
• are probating
  progressive
• have been probating
  perfect progressive
• am probating
  progressive 1st person singular
• has been probating
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• is probating
  progressive 3rd person singular
• probates
  singular 3rd person
• probating
  participle

Past

• had probated
  perfect
• was probating
  progressive singular
• were probating
  progressive plural
• had been probating
  perfect progressive
• probated
  simple
• probated
  participle

Future

• will probate
  simple
• will have probated
  perfect
• will have been probating
  perfect progressive
• will be probating
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of probate

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English probat, from Latin probātum “a thing approved,” noun use of neuter past participle of probāre “to examine, test”; see prove

Explanation

Probate is the act of proving the legal validity of a will. A will may require probate because the person that signed it isn’t around to verify his or her signature. As Ambrose Bierce wrote, “Death is not the end. There remains the litigation over the estate.” So comes the need for the probate. Though probate, from the Latin probare, “to test or prove,” is usually used for wills, it can also be applied to other legal documents, as in the proving of the validity of a document, or an official certification proving the document is real. Probate is also a verb meaning “to place a convicted person on probation.”

Example Sentences

As executor, you have the right to a reasonable amount of time to probate the estate, and the beneficiaries will have to wait until that process is complete.

From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026

“For instance, in some jurisdictions, probate laws require that all beneficiaries be informed about estate proceedings and given a chance to contest decisions like the sale of a property,” the bank says.

From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026

She said NS&I wanted her to provide a grant of probate, a type of legal document, even though her solicitor said this was not required.

From BBC • May 19, 2026

After she gained probate, she completed all the paperwork to release his £50,000 worth of premium bonds.

From BBC • May 19, 2026

And as I dug deeper into the Osage murder cases—into the murk of autopsies and witness testimony and probate records—I began to see certain holes in the bureau’s investigation.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann