Why this word is great
CODICIL — [Noun] A legally binding addition or supplement that explains, modifies, or revokes a will or part of one. From Latin cōdicillus ("a small writing tablet"), diminutive of cōdex ("book, document"), it carries the quiet weight of final wishes scribbled in haste or reconsidered in twilight. Unlike "amendment" (which alters any legal text) or "addendum" (which appends any document), a codicil is the whisper at the edge of a life’s ledger—specific, solemn, and irrevocable. It is the shaky signature on a yellowed notepad, the struck-through name of a now-estranged heir, or the postscript bequeathing a favorite book to a grandchild, all testament to the fact that even our endings are never quite finished.