Legal Definitions - voluntas

Definition: Voluntas (pronounced vuh-luhn-tas) is a Latin word that has two historical meanings:

1. A feeling or impulse that motivates someone to do something; this can be a desire, intention, or purpose.
2. A legal document that outlines how a person's property and assets will be distributed after their death; this is also known as a will.

Examples:

• When I saw the puppy in the pet store, I felt a strong voluntas to take it home with me.
• My grandfather's voluntas stated that his house and car would be given to my mother, and his savings would be split evenly between his three children.

The first example illustrates the first meaning of voluntas, as the speaker experiences a strong desire to adopt a puppy. The second example illustrates the second meaning of voluntas, as the speaker describes the contents of their grandfather's will.