probate

P3R1O1B3A1T1E1
/ˈpɹəʊbeɪt/obsolete/ˈpɹəʊbɪt/obsolete/ˈpɹəʊbət/

noun

The legal process of verifying the legality of a will.

Similar
probate will
OriginMiddle English probate ← Latin probatus →
CommonScrabble 11
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Meanings

nounprobate (countable and uncountable, plural probates)

plural probates

  1. countableuncountablelawThe legal process of verifying the legality of a will.

    The probate file reveals that Stephen Tetuan, attorney for the estate and author of McBride's will, wrote to Lemieux on Auust 29, 1984, encouraging him "to serve as trustee and to retain local counsel to represent your interests as trustee."

    1981 December 1, Micheline Justman, “Man Defends Erie Gay Will”, in Gay Community News, volume 12, number 20, page 15
  2. countableuncountablelawA copy of a legally recognised and qualified will.
  3. abbreviationclippingcountableuncountableClipping of probate court.
  4. countableobsoleteuncountableProof.

    Macrobius that did trete Of Scipions dreme what was the treu probate

    a. 1529, John Skelton, Garlande of Laurell
verbprobate (third-person singular simple present probates, present participle probating, simple past and past participle probated)

present singular third person probates · participle present probating · participle past probated · past probated

  1. transitiveTo establish the legality of (a will).

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna judicial certificate saying that a will is genuine and conferring on the executors the power to administer the estate

Similar
probate will
Broader
certificatecertificationcredential
Also see
probate court

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinprobatus
  2. Middle Englishprobate
  3. Englishprobate

From Middle English probate, from Latin probatus, past participle of probare (“to test, examine, judge of”); see probe, prove.

More words from Middle English, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian легализиране
  • легализиране (legalizirane)legal process of verifying the legality of a will
Chinese Mandarin 遺囑檢驗 /遗嘱检验, 遺囑認證 /遗嘱认证
  • 遺囑檢驗 /遗嘱检验 (yízhǔ jiǎnyàn)legal process of verifying the legality of a will
  • 遺囑認證 /遗嘱认证 (yízhǔ rènzhèng)legal process of verifying the legality of a will
  • 經檢驗的遺囑文本 /经检验的遗嘱文本 (jīng jiǎnyàn de yízhǔ wénběn)copy of a legally recognised will
  • 檢驗 /检验 (jiǎnyàn)establish the legality of a will
  • 認證 /认证 (rènzhèng)establish the legality of a will
Czech potvrzení poslední vůle, potvrdit poslední vůli
  • potvrzení poslední vůlelegal process of verifying the legality of a will
  • potvrdit poslední vůliestablish the legality of a will
Finnish testamentin vahvistaminen, vahvistettu testamentti
  • testamentin vahvistaminenlegal process of verifying the legality of a will
  • vahvistettu testamentticopy of a legally recognised will
  • vahvistaa testamenttiestablish the legality of a will
German Testamantseröffnung, Testamentsabschrift
  • Testamantseröffnunglegal process of verifying the legality of a will
  • Testamentsabschriftcopy of a legally recognised will
Hungarian hagyatéki eljárás, örökösödési eljárás
  • hagyatéki eljáráslegal process of verifying the legality of a will
  • örökösödési eljáráslegal process of verifying the legality of a will
  • bíróilag megerősít/hitelesítestablish the legality of a will
Māori whakamananga wira, whakamanatanga wira
  • whakamananga wiralegal process of verifying the legality of a will
  • whakamanatanga wiralegal process of verifying the legality of a will
Russian утвержде́ние завеща́ния
  • утвержде́ние завеща́ния (utverždénije zaveščánija)legal process of verifying the legality of a will
Cite this entry
APA

probate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/probate

MLA

“probate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/probate. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “probate,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/probate.

Source: probate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.