noun

intestate

/ɪnˈtɛsteɪt/ · say it: in·TES·tayt

having died without leaving a valid will

In Law & Justice

In more detail

1. (adjective) having made no valid will before death

2. (noun) a person who dies without having made a valid will

Examples

1. He died intestate, so his property was divided according to the law.
2. The intestate's estate was distributed to their nearest relatives.

How to use intestate

Intestate is a legal term used when someone dies without leaving a valid will. As an adjective it describes the person or the estate; as a noun it refers to the deceased person themselves. It is used in formal legal and administrative contexts to trigger specific rules of inheritance determined by law rather than the deceased's wishes.

Common phrases

die intestate
intestate succession
intestate estate
intestate death

Synonyms

without a will · not having made a will

Opposites

testate

Word family

intestacy (noun)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse intestate with insolvent (unable to pay debts) or mistake it as a medical term.

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