Intestacy

in·tes·tate  (n-tstt, -tt) Law

adj.

1. Having made no legal will: an intestate parent.

2. Not disposed of by a legal will: intestate lands.

n.

One who dies without a legal will.

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[Middle English, from Old French intestat, from Latin intesttus : in-, not; see in-¹ + testtus, testate, from past participle of testr, to make a will; see testament.]

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in·testa·cy (-t-s) n.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

intestacy - the situation of being or dying without a legally valid will situation, state of affairs - the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time; "the present international situation is dangerous"; "wondered how such a state of affairs had come about"; "eternal truths will be neither true nor eternal unless they have fresh meaning for every new social situation"- Franklin D.Roosevelt