Editorial
Power of attorney
Definition
A document by which one person authorises another to act on their behalf, either generally or for specified purposes. A lasting or enduring power continues after the donor loses capacity, which an ordinary power does not.
In plain English: A document letting someone else act for you — signing, banking, deciding — within limits you set.
A general definition, not tied to any jurisdiction. Check the meaning in the system that governs your matter before relying on it.
Usage
The distinction between an ordinary and a lasting power matters most at the moment it is needed: an ordinary power ends exactly when the donor loses capacity.