probate

verb

pro·​bate ˈprō-ˌbāt 

probated; probating

transitive verb

1

: to establish (a will) by probate as genuine and valid

2

: to put (a convicted offender) on probation

Did you know?

Ever since people have written wills, those wills have had to be proven genuine by a judge. Without a probate process, greedy acquaintances or relatives could write up a fake will stating that all the person's wealth belonged to them. To establish a will as genuine, it must generally be witnessed and stamped by someone officially licensed to do so (though wills have sometimes been approved even when they were just written on a piece of scrap paper, with no witnesses). Today we use probate more broadly to mean everything that's handled in probate court, a special court that oversees the handling of estates (the money and property left when someone dies), making sure that everyone eventually receives what is properly theirs.

Examples of probate in a Sentence

The court will probate the will.

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, another five states, including death-tax-free California and Florida, impose stiff fees to probate (that is, get court approval for) an estate and/or require a family to pay attorneys. —Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026

Getting letters testamentary requires going to court to probate your mother's will. —Ronald Lipman, Houston Chronicle, 24 Feb. 2026

As for tax liability — the IRS is going to get paid one way or another, and the source may include both probate and nonprobate assets. —Virginia Hammerle, Dallas Morning News, 18 Jan. 2026

Attorneys note that probating an estate without a will is generally slower than when a valid will exists. —Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing probate

• probate court

Rhymes for probate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

probate

1 of 2 noun

pro·​bate ˈprō-ˌbāt 

1

: proof before a probate court that the will of a deceased person is genuine

2

: judicial determination of the legal force of a will

probate

2 of 2 verb

probated; probating

: to establish by probate as genuine and as having legal force

Legal Definition

probate

1 of 2 noun

pro·​bate ˈprō-ˌbāt 

1

a

: the process of proving in a court of competent jurisdiction (as a probate court) that an instrument is the valid last will and testament of a deceased person

broadly : the process of administering an estate

b

: the judicial determination that a will is valid

2

: the officially authenticated copy of a probated will

3

a

: probate court

b

: matters that fall under the jurisdiction of a probate court

probate

2 of 2 transitive verb

probated; probating

1

: to establish (a will) as valid through probate

2

a

: to put (a convicted offender) on probation

b

: to replace (a sentence) with probation

Etymology

Latin probatum, neuter of probatus, past participle of probare to test, approve, prove