probate
Americannoun
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Law. the official proving of a will as authentic or valid in a probate court.
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an officially certified copy of a will so proved.
adjective
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of or relating to probate or a probate court.
verb (used with object)
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to establish the authenticity or validity of (a will).
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Law. to put (an offender) on probation.
noun
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the act or process of officially proving the authenticity and validity of a will
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the official certificate stating a will to be genuine and conferring on the executors power to administer the estate
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the probate copy of a will
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(in the US) all matters within the jurisdiction of a probate court
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(modifier) of, relating to, or concerned with probate
probate value
a probate court
verb
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(tr) to establish officially the authenticity and validity of (a will)
Other Word Forms
- unprobated adjective
Etymology
Origin of probate
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English probat, from Latin probātum “a thing approved,” noun use of neuter past participle of probāre “to examine, test”; prove
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
California, Texas, and Ohio use specialized transfer-on-death deeds, while Florida uses a “lady bird” deed, which also bypasses probate.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026
Your grandmother’s will should have been filed in probate court and can be examined for anything suspicious.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026
Most of my friends have never had to write an obituary, or file a life insurance claim, or deal with probate court.
From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026
To apply to be a conservator, you need to file a petition with the probate court in the county where he lives.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026
And as I dug deeper into the Osage murder cases—into the murk of autopsies and witness testimony and probate records—I began to see certain holes in the bureau’s investigation.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.