A gift of land or real estate (like a house) made in a will.
What it means
A devise is the traditional legal term for a gift of real property, such as a house or block of land, left to a beneficiary in a will. (A gift of personal property is usually called a bequest or legacy.)
While the distinction matters less in modern drafting, the term still appears in wills and succession legislation across Australia. If the devised property is sold before death, the gift may be adeemed and the beneficiary receives nothing in its place.
How it's used
The devise of the family farm to his eldest son was the largest gift in the will.
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