What does testator mean?
A testator is a person who makes a will, a legal document that states how their property and estate should be handled after death. The word is especially associated with estate planning and the formal language of wills. A testator may name beneficiaries, appoint an executor, specify bequests, and give instructions for the disposal of assets. During probate, courts may examine whether the deceased was legally capable of making the will, whether its terms were clear, and whether it was properly executed. The term does not refer to the will itself: the document is the will or testament, while the person who creates it is the testator. Although “testator” is legally precise and gender-neutral, most speakers use plainer expressions such as “the person who made the will” in everyday conversation.
nounA testator is a person who makes a will, specifying how their estate should be distributed after their death.
- A person who makes a will, especially one whose will governs the distribution of an estate after death.
"The executor distributed the estate according to the testator's wishes."
"The executor distributed the estate according to the testator's wishes."
"The court found that the testator had understood the nature and effect of the will before signing it."
The standard plural of testator, used when referring to more than one person who made a will.
"The witnesses were asked whether both testators had signed their respective wills."
A testator may no longer be alive to explain the document, but their wishes can continue to speak through the will they made.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does testator come from?
Testator comes from Latin testamentor, meaning “one who makes a will,” a noun formed from testamentum, “a will.” The Latin testamentum is associated with testari, “to make a will,” which is in turn connected with testis, “witness.” English borrowed the legal term and developed it alongside related words such as testament, testamentary, attest, and testimony.
How testator is actually used
This is primarily a formal legal term, especially common in wills, estate administration, and discussions of testamentary capacity. In ordinary conversation, “the person who made the will” is usually clearer.
Easily confused with testator
A testatrix is a female testator, while a testator is the gender-neutral legal term for someone who makes a will.