Where does “intestate” come from?
Intestate derives from Latin intestatus, formed from the prefix in- (not) and testis (witness), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning "not" and "to stand."
intestate (English): Without a valid will indicating whom to leave...
Definitions
- Without a valid will indicating whom to leave...
Ancestry of “intestate”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | intestātus | intestate (with no will) |
| 2 | Latin | testātus | having been a witness to, having testified |
| 3 | Latin | testor | I am witness, testify, attest; I make a will |
| 4 | Latin | testis | witness; one who testifies or attests; testicle |
| 5 | Latin | terstis | — |
| 6 | Latin | trīstis | sad, unhappy, melancholy, morose |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | tristh₂s | a third party standing, after the two parties to... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | steh₂- | to stand |