| Word | intestate |
|---|---|
| Date | September 14, 2009 |
| Type | adjective |
| Syllables | in-TESS-tayt |
| Etymology | "Intestate" was borrowed into English in the 14th century from Latin "intestatus," which was itself formed by combining the prefix "in-" ("not") and the adjective "testatus," meaning "having left a valid will." "Testatus," in turn, derives from the past participle of the verb "testari," meaning "to make a will." Approximately a century later, English speakers returned to "testatus" to coin the word "testate," which also means "having left a valid will." Other descendants of "testari" in English include "detest," "protest," and "testament," as well as "testator" ("a person who dies leaving a will or testament in force"). The antonym of "testator" is the noun "intestate," meaning "one who dies without a will." |
| Examples | Mark and Joan worried about what would happen to their child if they died intestate, so they hired a lawyer to draw up a will soon after the baby was born. |
| Definition | 1 : having made no valid will 2 : not disposed of by will |
Tags: wordoftheday::adjective
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