Words / P / Law

precatory

adjective/ˈprɛkətəri/

C2CEFR level
92/100Rarity: very rare
TechnicalRegister

Expressing a mere wish, hope, or moral exhortation rather than imposing a binding trust obligation.

The phrase 'in full confidence that she will provide for the children' was precatory, so the widow took absolutely.

Similar: hortatory

Topic: Trusts & equity in Legal English

Rarity runs from 0 (a word everyone knows) to 100 (almost never seen outside specialist or literary writing). Level is the word's real difficulty on the CEFR scale, from A1 to C2.

Get words like precatory on your lock screen, a few a day, with review that makes them stick.

Download on the App Store Lexfall puts a new word on your home and lock screen through widgets, so you learn without opening an app. Free to download. After a free trial, a subscription unlocks every field. Built for iPhone, iOS 15.1 or later.
QR code that opens Lexfall on the App Store
On a computer?Scan with your iPhone camera.

More law words: Trusts & equity