tes·ta·ment /'tes-tə-mənt/ n [Latin testamentum, from testari to call as a witness, make a will, from testis witness]
1: an act by which a person determines the disposition of his or her property after death
a testament of property
2: will
◇ A testament was formerly concerned specifically with personal property, as in the phrase last will and testament. Now a will covers both personal and real property and the terms will and testament are generally synonymous, but the phrase lives on.
tes·ta·men·ta·ry /ˌtes-tə-'men-tə-rē/ adj
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.