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Law vocabulary · Rights & Obligations

Will

Meaning in law, with examples

/wɪl/nounCommon term

In law, will means: A legal document in which a person states who should receive their property and money after they die, and who should manage this.

In Turkish: vasiyetname, vasiyet

How it is used

People 'make', 'write', 'sign' or 'change' a will, and others may 'contest' or 'challenge' it after the death. The person who makes it is the 'testator', and the person who carries it out is the 'executor'. Formal rules, such as signing before witnesses, must be followed for a will to be valid.

Example sentences

  1. She left the house to her nephew in her will.

  2. The children are contesting the will on the ground that their father lacked capacity.

Common collocations

  • make a will
  • contest a will
  • under the will
  • last will and testament
  • executor of the will
  • inheritanceMoney, property or rights that pass to a person when someone dies, and the legal process by which this happens.
  • propertyThings that someone owns, such as land, buildings, goods or money, and also the legal right of ownership over those things.
  • notaryAn official authorised to certify signatures and documents and to prepare certain legal deeds, so that they can be relied on in court or abroad.
  • minorA person below the age at which the law treats them as a full adult; this age is 18 in most countries, including Turkey and England.
  • power of attorneyA legal document that gives one person the authority to act for another in legal or financial matters, such as signing contracts or managing a bank account.

More terms: Rights & Obligations

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.