bequest

noun

be·​quest bi-ˈkwest How to pronounce bequest (audio)
bē-
1
: the act of giving or leaving something by will (see will entry 2 sense 1) : the act of bequeathing
established at the bequest of a local philanthropist
2
: something given or left by will or transmitted from the past : something bequeathed : legacy
made a bequest of his paintings to the museum

Examples of bequest in a Sentence

He made a bequest of his paintings to the museum. left small bequests to all of her nieces and nephews
Recent Examples on the Web In addition to the taxes that are imposed directly on the CE, a U.S. recipient of a future gift or bequest from the CE must pay a special transfer tax upon receiving that gift or inheritance, currently at a 40% tax rate on its value. Virginia La Torre Jeker, J.d., Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024 The Swedish inventor and chemist, who died in 1896, established the annual prizes with a bequest in his will. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Oct. 2024 The prize money comes from a bequest left by the award’s creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel. Daniel Niemann, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2024 Creating an estate plan is an opportunity to communicate personal values, whether through direct bequests, charitable giving, or setting up trusts. Darren T. Case, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bequest 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bequest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, irregular from bequethen

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bequest was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near bequest

Cite this Entry

“Bequest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bequest. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

bequest

noun
be·​quest bi-ˈkwest How to pronounce bequest (audio)
1
: the action of bequeathing
2
: something given or left by a will

Legal Definition

bequest

noun
be·​quest bi-ˈkwest How to pronounce bequest (audio)
: an act of bequeathing
also : something bequeathed : legacy
demonstrative bequest \ di-​ˈmän-​strə-​tiv-​ \
: a bequest of a particular amount of money or property to be distributed first from one source in the estate and then from other sources to the extent that the first is insufficient
general bequest
: a bequest that is to be distributed from the general assets of the estate and that is not a particular thing
specific bequest \ spə-​ˈsi-​fik-​ \
: a bequest of a particular item or part of an estate or that is payable only from a specified source in the estate and not from the general assets

More from Merriam-Webster on bequest

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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