English Reference

Word

abator

Phoneticsaba·tor

Definitions

01one who removes a nuisance

C2 · Law

n. someone who stops or removes something that is causing a public problem or annoyance.

n. a person who abates, terminates, or removes a nuisance, often acting under legal authority.

“The city acted as the abator of the noise problem by closing the factory.”

“As the designated abator, the official was responsible for ensuring the hazardous waste was removed from the site immediately.”

Formal · Technical

02unlawful occupant of an estate

C2 · Law

n. a person who enters a property without a right after the owner dies but before the true heir arrives.

n. a person who, without legal right, enters into a freehold upon the death of the last possessor before the heir or devisee can take possession.

“The court ruled that the man was an abator who had no claim to the house.”

“The legal dispute centered on whether the occupant was a lawful tenant or an abator who had seized the land before the will was proved.”

Archaic · Technical

Usage

This term is primarily found in historical common law contexts regarding property disputes.

Synonyms

intruderusurper

Antonyms

heirdevisee

Etymology

From abate (“to enter without right after the owner dies and before the heir takes over”) + -or. From Anglo-Norman.

From abate (“do away with”) + -or. From Middle English, from Old French.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domain

Law

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Frequency
Rare
Updated

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