testament

Compared meaning: a legal document leaving property after death (noun).

比较义项：遗嘱（名词）。

• will

  The common, everyday legal term for the document; used on its own in speech and law, e.g. 'draw up a will'.

  指该文件的日常、常用法律说法；可单独使用（如“draw up a will”，起草遗嘱）。

  He wrote a new will after his divorce, leaving the house to his daughter.

  离婚后，他立了一份新的 will，把房子留给了女儿。

• testament 本词

  A more formal or literary synonym, almost always used in the fixed phrase 'last will and testament' rather than alone.

  更正式或书面的说法，几乎总是出现在固定搭配“last will and testament”中，而不单独使用。

  The old man's last will and testament named his nephew as the sole heir.

  这位老人最后的 will 和 testament 指定他的侄子为唯一继承人。

Will and testament can both mean the legal document that leaves property after death. Will is the common, everyday legal term, usable alone in speech and law. Testament is more formal and literary, almost always used in the fixed phrase last will and testament.

这两个词在“遗嘱”这一义项上意思相近，但语域不同：will 是日常和法律中最常用的说法，可以单独使用；testament 更正式、更书面，几乎总是出现在固定搭配“last will and testament”中，单独使用较少。这里不比较 will 表示“将要”（情态动词）或“意愿”的用法，也不比较 testament 表示“证明，证据”（如 a testament to sth）的用法。