testate

American  

[tes-teyt] / ˈtɛs teɪt /

adjective

1. having made and left a valid will.

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testate British  

/ ˈtɛsteɪt, ˈtɛstɪt, ˈtɛstəsɪ /

adjective

1. having left a legally valid will at death

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noun

1. a person who dies testate

Other Word Forms

• testacy noun

Etymology

Origin of testate

1425–75; late Middle English < Latin testātus, past participle of testārī to bear witness, make a will, derivative of testis witness; -ate ¹

Compare meaning

How does testate compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• testate vs. intestate

Example Sentences

A group in the United States will be measuring the abundance of testate amoebae — single-celled microorganisms surrounded by a shell that persists for thousands of years.

From Nature

But like most testate amoebae, species of Arcella are hard to tell apart.

From Scientific American

Some of America’s most age-worthy red wines are the three testate Cabernet Sauvignon cuvées from Stag’s Leap Wines Cellars in Napa Valley.

From Forbes

So she and her colleagues placed three dead pigs on the ground and measured their effects on the density of testate amoebas in the soil underneath the cadavers.

From Scientific American

One-half of the community property goes to the wife whether the husband dies testate or intestate.

From Project Gutenberg