living will
living will. An instrument, signed with the formalities statutorily required for a will, by which a person directs that his or her life not be artificially prolonged by extraordinary measures when there is no reasonable expectation of recovery from extreme physical or mental disability. • Most states have living-will legislation. — Also termed declaration of a desire for a natural death; directive to physicians. See NATURAL-DEATH ACT; UNIFORM HEALTH-CARE DECISION ACT . Cf. ADVANCE DIRECTIVE(1), (2); INSTRUCTION DIRECTIVE . [Cases: Health 916.]