bequest

noun be·quest \ bi-ˈkwest , bē- \

Definition of bequest

1 : the act of giving or leaving something by will (see ²will 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

See bequest defined for English-language learners

See bequest defined for kids

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 of bequest from the Web

While Gaiman said at the time that wouldn’t actually happen, Wilkins, manager of the author’s estate, took the bequest literally.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Terry Pratchett’s Unfinished Novels Got Steamrolled," 31 Aug. 2017
Charlotte attorney Porter Byrum has left a bequest of more than $140 million to Queens University of Charlotte, Wingate University and Wake Forest for scholarships.

— mark price, charlotteobserver, "Charlotte attorney leaves $140 million to Queens, Wingate and Wake Forest," 2 Oct. 2017
The new plan shows that the museum also plans to grow its endowment from $750 million to $1.25 billion, and to acquire $1 billion worth of art through purchase, bequest and gift.

— steven litt, cleveland.com, "New strategic plan for Cleveland Museum of Art sets big goals: $1 billion in art, $1.25 billion endowment," 1 Nov. 2017
Founded in 1902 with the bequest of late New York governor Samuel J. Tilden, the library was conceived as an intellectual nexus for an American city soaring to prominence on the international stage.

— ryan p. smith, Smithsonian, "The Wondrous Complexity of the New York Public Library," 5 Oct. 2017
Intended to recognize scientists, artists, and diplomats who work to improve life for all humanity, the prizes were established in 1895 at the bequest of Swedish inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel.

— National Geographic, "Nobel Prizes 2017: Facts About the Secretive Process and Peculiar Past," 2 Oct. 2017
Byrum’s alma mater, Wake Forest, will receive more than $70 million, approximately half of his bequest.

— mark price, charlotteobserver, "Charlotte attorney leaves $140 million to Queens, Wingate and Wake Forest," 2 Oct. 2017
Other significant recent gifts include a $12 million bequest, designated in 2016 by the estate of 1953 graduate Robert P. Hubbard to support scholarships.

— karen farkas, cleveland.com, "Kenyon College receives $75 million gift; will build new library," 18 Sep. 2017
Republicans’ wish to repeal it would depress charitable bequests, which are tax-deductible.

— richard rubin, WSJ, "Charities Coax Lawmakers to Rethink Tax Plan," 6 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bequest.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of bequest

Middle English, irregular from bequethen

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

bequest Synonyms

Synonyms

birthright, heritage, inheritance, legacy, patrimony;

Related Words

heirloom;

bestowal, gift, offering, present;

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

BEQUEST Defined for English Language Learners

bequest

noun

Definition of bequest for English Language Learners

: the property or money that you promise in your will to give to another person or organization after you die

BEQUEST Defined for Kids

bequest

noun be·quest \ bi-ˈkwest \

Definition of bequest for Students

1 : the act of leaving property by means of a will

2 : something given or left by a will

Law Dictionary

bequest

noun be·quest \ bi-ˈkwest \

legal Definition of bequest

: 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