testator
Meaning
A person who has made a will, especially one who has died leaving a valid will.
Structure
Usage
The testator clearly outlined how her estate should be distributed among her children.
The lawyer confirmed the identity of the testator and the witnesses who signed the will.
If a testator revokes a will, a new document must be drafted and properly executed.
Etymology
The word 'testator' originates from the Latin verb testari, meaning 'to bear witness' or 'to make a will', which itself is derived from testis ('witness'). The agent suffix -ator was added to form testator, literally 'one who bears witness'. In Roman law, the act of making a will was a formal declaration witnessed by others. Over time, the term evolved specifically in legal English to denote the person who bears witness to their own final wishes by executing a last will and testament.
Analysis
test (from Latin testis, meaning 'witness'); ator (from Latin -ator, agent noun suffix, meaning 'one who does or is associated with').