estate

Meanings

Noun

• The collective property and liabilities of someone, especially a deceased person.
• state; condition.
• Status, rank.
• The condition of one's fortunes; prosperity, possessions.
• A "person of estate"; a nobleman or noblewoman.
• A major social class or order of persons regarded collectively as part of the body politic of the country and formerly possessing distinct political rights (Estates of the realm).
• The nature and extent of a person's interest in, or ownership of, land.
• An (especially extensive) area of land, under a single ownership.
• The landed property owned or controlled by a government or a department of government.
• A housing estate.
• A station wagon; a car with a tailgate (or liftgate) and storage space to the rear of the seating which is coterminous with the passenger compartment (and often extensible into that compartment via folding or removable seating).
• The state; the general body politic; the common-wealth; the general interest; state affairs.

Adjective

• Previously owned; secondhand.

Verb

• To give an estate to.
• To bestow upon.

Related

Similar words

• estate car, station sedan, station wagon, wagon

Origin

• From Middle English estat, from Anglo-Norman estat and Old French estat (French: état), from Latin status. state, and status.