Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One to whom a devise is made; a beneficiary.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The person to whom a devise is made; one to whom real estate is bequeathed.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Law) One to whom a devise is made, or real estate given by will.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun law the person or entity to whom property is devised in a will

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun someone to whom property (especially realty) is devised by will

Etymologies

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Examples

  • It must also be remembered, that a testator often directs that a devisee shall procure the royal license or an Act of Parliament for the change of name, in order to entitle him to the testator's property.

    Notes and Queries, Number 21, March 23, 1850 Various

  • Fund of the Century Association, the third devisee, has assured the Attorneys that it will also consent thereto.

    Board of Visitors minutes 1939

  • People who refuse to believe that the Central Banks of the World would be willing to trust part or most of their gold to the keeping of such a Bank overlook the fact that much of the reserves of the Central Banks has since the War been increasingly kept in foreign centres as earmarked gold or as what the Germans call devisee: foreign credits easily liquidated.

    Bank for International Settlements 1930

  • Dr. Seward's generous and far-seeing action in making the University of Virginia his sole devisee and legatee.

    Board of Visitors minutes 1927

  • RESOLVED: That this action of the Board is taken through their respect and esteem for Col. Thomas Smith, another legatee and devisee under said will, and their regard for his wishes in the premises.

    Board of Visitors minutes 1918

  • Although the ulterior devise is, in terms, not to take effect in possession until the decease of the prior devisee, if tenant for life, yet in point of fact it is to be read as

    Board of Visitors minutes 1917

  • The doctrine of acceleration proceeds upon the supposition that, though the ulterior devise is in terms not to take effect in possession until the decease of the prior devisee, if tenant for life, yet that in point of fact it is to be read as a limitation of a remainder to take effect in every event which removes the prior estate out of the way.

    Board of Visitors minutes 1917

  • After the legatees had been satisfied for the loss of so much of their legacies as was taken by the widow, or after the death of the widow, whichever event shall first occur, the said two-thirds of the land is to be delivered to J., as devisee in remainder under the will.

    Board of Visitors minutes 1917

  • A devisee or legatee under a will is a competent witness thereto, if the will may not otherwise be proved, but the devise or legacy to him is void.

    The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 15: Tournely-Zwirner 1840-1916 1913

  • How far a devisee of a trust estate can execute the trust depends on the intention of the settlor expressed in the instrument.

    The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 15: Tournely-Zwirner 1840-1916 1913

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