endowment

noun

en·​dow·​ment in-ˈdau̇-mənt 

en-

1

: the act or process of endowing

2

: something that is endowed

specifically : the part of an institution's income derived from donations

3

: natural capacity, power, or ability

a person of great intellectual endowment

Synonyms of endowment

• talent
• gift
• aptitude
• knack

Examples of endowment in a Sentence

The hospital's endowment was established by a local family.

The college has a large endowment.

the endowment of a hospital wing

Recent Examples on the Web

Armstrong argued that only a permanent endowment generating enough investment income to cover most annual costs would justify reinstatement. — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 23 July 2026

The investors best positioned for this market--mega-cap balance sheets, sovereign funds, multi-decade endowments--simply don't need their money back on any timeline. — Carrie McCabe, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

Washington also bars its pension funds and college endowments from investing into Chinese firms developing sensitive technologies. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 July 2026

The effects have been felt most acutely at schools with small endowments and those that enroll large percentages of international students recruited from abroad. — Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 16 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

endowment

noun

en·​dow·​ment in-ˈdau̇-mənt 

1

: the providing of a permanent fund for support

also : the fund provided

a college's endowment

2

: a person's natural ability

Legal Definition

endowment

noun

en·​dow·​ment

1

: the act or process of endowing

2

: a result or product of endowing: as

a

: the income of an institution derived from donations

the university's ability to attract endowment

b

: the property (as a fund) donated to an institution or organization that is invested and producing income

an endowment to maintain the gallery

3

: an endowed organization or institution : foundation

chairwoman of the state's arts endowment

4

: endowment insurance