• IPA: /ɪsˈteɪt/

estate (plural estates)

1. The collective property and liabilities of someone, especially a deceased person. [from 19^thc.]
2. (now rare, archaic) state; condition. [from 13^thc.]
   • c. 1601–1602, William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or VVhat You VVill”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act V, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]:

     But when I came to man's estate,. With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,. 'Gainst knaves and thieves men shut their gate.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Romans 12:16 ↗:

     Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.

3. (archaic) Status, rank. [from 13^thc.]

   • God hath imprinted his authority in several parts, upon several estates of men.

4. (archaic) The condition of one's fortunes; prosperity, possessions. [from 14^thc.]
5. (obsolete) A "person of estate"; a nobleman or noblewoman. [14^th-17^thc.]
   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/MaloryWks2/1:18.11?rgn=div2;view=fulltext chapter xj], in Le Morte Darthur, book XVI:

     And anone came oute of a chamber to hym the fayrest lady that euer he sawe & more rycher bysene than euer he sawe Quene Gueneuer or ony other estat Lo sayd they syre Bors here is the lady vnto whome we owe alle oure seruyse / and I trowe she be the rychest lady and the fayrest of alle the world

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Mark 6:21 ↗:

     Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee.

   • She's a duchess, a great estate.

6. (historical) 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). [from 14^thc.]
   • 1992, Hilary Mantel, A Place of Greater Safety, Harper Perennial 2007, p.115:

     I am afraid that some of the nobles who are campaigning for it simply want to use the Estates to cut down the King's power and increase their own.

   • 2011, Norman Davies, Vanished Kingdoms, Penguin 2012, p.202:

     The three estates of feudal lords, clergy and royal officers met in separate chambers, and exercised an advisory role.

7. (legal) The nature and extent of a person's interest in, or ownership of, land. [from 15^thc.]
8. An (especially extensive) area of land, under a single ownership. [from 18^thc.]
9. The landed property owned or controlled by a government or a department of government.
10. (UK, sometimes pejorative) A housing estate. [from 20^thc.]
11. (UK, automotive) 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). [from 20^thc.]
12. (obsolete) The state; the general body politic; the common-wealth; the general interest; state affairs.
    • 1612, Francis Bacon, Of Judicature

      I call matter of estate not only the parts of sovereignty, but whatsoever […] concerneth manifestly any great portion of people.

• (estate car) estate car, station sedan, station wagon, wagon

• French: patrimoine
• Italian: asse ereditario
• Portuguese: propriedade, bens
• Spanish: propiedad, inmueble, bien

• French: noblesse
• German: Stand
• Portuguese: classe
• Russian: сосло́вие
• Spanish: estamento

• French: proprieté,, biens
• Italian: beni

• French: domaine, propriété
• German: Gut, Landgut
• Italian: proprietà, tenuta, possedimento
• Portuguese: propriedade
• Russian: уса́дьба
• Spanish: finca

estate (not comparable)

1. (jewelry, euphemism) Previously owned; secondhand.

   an estate diamond; estate jewelry

estate (estates, present participle estating; past and past participle estated)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To give an estate to.
2. (obsolete, transitive) To bestow upon.