living will

noun

A document, made by a person when still legally fit to do so, which provides clear instructions or principles to be employed by a surrogate decision-maker, such as expressing a desire to be allowed to die instead of being kept alive by artificial means, in the event of being severely disabled or suffering from a terminal illness.

Similar
advance directive
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Meanings

nounliving will (plural living wills)

plural living wills

  1. lawA document, made by a person when still legally fit to do so, which provides clear instructions or principles to be employed by a surrogate decision-maker, such as expressing a desire to be allowed to die instead of being kept alive by artificial means, in the event of being severely disabled or suffering from a terminal illness.

    Synonyms: advance directive

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA document, made by a person when still legally fit to do so, which provides clear instructions or principles to be employed by a surrogate decision-maker, such as expressing a desire to be allowed to die instead of being kept alive by artificial means, in the event of being severely disabled or suffering from a terminal illness.

Similar
advance directive
Also see
advance directive

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 生前遺囑 /生前遗嘱
  • 生前遺囑 /生前遗嘱document giving durable power of attorney to a surrogate decision-maker for healthcare purposes
Dutch levenstestament
  • levenstestamentdocument giving durable power of attorney to a surrogate decision-maker for healthcare purposes
Finnish hoitotahto
  • hoitotahtodocument giving durable power of attorney to a surrogate decision-maker for healthcare purposes
French testament de vie
  • testament de viedocument giving durable power of attorney to a surrogate decision-maker for healthcare purposes
German Lebenstestament
  • Lebenstestamentdocument giving durable power of attorney to a surrogate decision-maker for healthcare purposes
Hebrew הוראות רפואיות מקדימות
  • הוראות רפואיות מקדימותdocument giving durable power of attorney to a surrogate decision-maker for healthcare purposes
Irish uacht an bheo
  • uacht an bheodocument giving durable power of attorney to a surrogate decision-maker for healthcare purposes
Italian biotestamento, testamento biologico
  • biotestamentodocument giving durable power of attorney to a surrogate decision-maker for healthcare purposes
  • testamento biologicodocument giving durable power of attorney to a surrogate decision-maker for healthcare purposes
Japanese リビング・ウィル
  • リビング・ウィル (ribingu wiru)document giving durable power of attorney to a surrogate decision-maker for healthcare purposes
Portuguese testamento vital
  • testamento vitaldocument giving durable power of attorney to a surrogate decision-maker for healthcare purposes
Spanish testamento vital
  • testamento vitaldocument giving durable power of attorney to a surrogate decision-maker for healthcare purposes
Cite this entry
APA

living will. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/living%20will

MLA

“living will.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/living%20will. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “living will,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/living%20will.

Source: living will on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.