What does codicil mean?
A codicil is a formally executed supplement to an existing will, used to make minor changes — such as adding, altering, or revoking a bequest — without rewriting the entire document. To be valid, a codicil must generally satisfy the same legal formalities as the will itself, including proper witnessing, which is why it remains firmly associated with legal practice rather than casual use. The term derives from the Latin codicillus, meaning 'a small writing tablet,' itself a diminutive of codex, the root that also gives us 'code' and 'codex.' Beyond law, codicil occasionally appears in a figurative sense to describe an appendix or afterthought appended to a piece of writing, though this usage is literary and comparatively rare. For anyone managing an estate or drafting a will, understanding what a codicil is — and how it differs from a full rewrite — is genuinely useful knowledge, since it offers a simple mechanism for keeping a will up to date as circumstances change.
A legally executed supplement or addition to a will that modifies, explains, or revokes one or more of its provisions without revoking the whole will.
"The solicitor advised him to attach a codicil rather than redraft the entire will."
Requires the same witnessing formalities as the original will in most jurisdictions.
(Figurative, rare) A supplement or appendix added to a written work or document.
"The poet's last volume reads almost like a codicil to her life's work."
Standard English plural, formed by adding -s. Used both in legal and general contexts.
"The will had been amended by three separate codicils over the years."
The word codicil comes from Latin codicillus, meaning 'little writing tablet' — so every time you amend your will, you're literally attaching a tiny note to it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of codicil
Codicil comes from Latin codicillus, a diminutive of codex ('book, writing tablet'), originally referring to a short note or memorandum written on small tablets. It entered English in the early 15th century via Anglo-Norman and Medieval Latin in the legal sense of a supplement to a testament. The same Latin root codex underlies related English words such as 'code', 'codex', and 'codify'.
Related word forms
How codicil is actually used
Primarily a formal/legal term. In everyday speech outside legal contexts, words like 'amendment' or 'addendum' are far more common; using 'codicil' figuratively is literary and relatively rare.
Easily confused with codicil
A code is a system of symbols or laws, while a codicil is a specific legal supplement attached to a will.
An appendix is any supplementary material added to a document, whereas a codicil specifically amends a will and carries legal force.