endow

play

verb en·dow \ in-ˈdau̇ , en- \

Definition of endow

transitive verb

1 :to furnish with an income; especially :to make a grant of money providing for the continuing support or maintenance of

endow a hospital

2 :to furnish with a dower

3 :to provide with something freely or naturally

endowed with a good sense of humor

See endow defined for English-language learners

See endow defined for kids

Examples of endow in a Sentence

The wealthy couple endowed a new wing of the hospital.
She plans to endow a faculty position at the university.
The money will be used to endow the museum and research facility.

Recent Examples of endow from the Web

U Penn: Andrea Mitchell makes an endowment Andrea Mitchell, a Penn alumna and NBC’s chief foreign affairs correspondent, has endowed Penn with the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy, The Daily Pennsylvanian reports.

— susannah hutcheson, USA TODAY College, "Campus news of the week: Trump admin resignation, offensive frat party and more," 26 Aug. 2017
Wayward parents are a staple of the genre, and Barb wouldn’t place high in a mother-of-the-year contest, but Ms. Everett, a popular cabaret performer and a brilliant actress, endows her with dignity even at her worst.

— a. o. scott, New York Times, "Review: ‘Patti Cake$,’ a Classic Striver’s Tale With a Hip-Hop Beat," 17 Aug. 2017
Specifically, the McVays’ gift endows a long-term initiative that offers paid leadership opportunities for Hamline students.

— bobbi dumas, The Christian Science Monitor, "How a couple's gift to a university benefits more than just college students," 11 Aug. 2017
The pessimism acquired during those harsh years became foundational to liberalism, too, endowing it with a newfound passion for civil liberties and the rights of minorities.

— franklin foer, The Atlantic, "Why Liberalism Disappoints," 8 Aug. 2017
In 2011, he was named as the first holder of the Roger Guillemin Chair, endowed with $3 million by San Diego philanthropists Irwin and Joan Jacobs.

— bradley j. fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, "From one cell to billions: Juan Carlos Izpisúa Belmonte studies all stages of life," 5 Aug. 2017
Broadly speaking, AI comprises several technologies meant to endow software with human-like intelligence.

— barb darrow, Fortune, "California Democrat Launches Bid to Impeach Trump," 13 July 2017
Geophysicist; arguer for gun control; married to the former Susan Yassenoff, whose grandfather endowed the biggest Jewish community center in Columbus, Ohio, Klebold named one son for Lord Byron and the other after Dylan Thomas.

— mark jacobson, Daily Intelligencer, "The Generation Gap in My Living Room," 30 June 2017
The sun’s immense power over Earth and its creatures is scientific fact; to endow the moon with equal power is to embrace fairy tales and ghost stories.

— ferris jabr, Smithsonian, "How Moonlight Sets Nature’s Rhythms," 22 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of endow

Middle English, from Anglo-French endower, from en- + dower, douer to endow, from Latin dotare, from dot-, dos gift, dowry — more at date

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First Known Use: 14th century

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endow Synonyms

Synonyms

bless, endue (or indue), favor, gift, invest

Antonyms

defund, disendow

Related Words

equip, provide, supply; bestow (on or upon), clothe, confer (on), cover; accord, award, grant; empower, enable, enhance, enrich, heighten; bequeath, will

Near Antonyms

dispossess, divest, strip; deplete, drain, exhaust; skimp, stint

Other Economics Terms

actuary, compound interest, globalization, indemnity, portfolio, rentier, stagflation, usurer

ENDOW Defined for English Language Learners

endow

play

verb

Definition of endow for English Language Learners

: to give a large amount of money to a school, hospital, etc., in order to pay for the creation or continuing support of (something)
: to freely or naturally provide (someone or something) with something

ENDOW Defined for Kids

endow

play

verb en·dow \ in-ˈdau̇ \

Definition of endow for Students

endowed; endowing

1 :to provide with money for support

The millionaire endowed a scholarship.

2 :to provide with something freely or naturally

Humans are endowed with reason.

Law Dictionary

endow

play

transitive verb en·dow \ in-ˈdau̇ \

legal Definition of endow

:to furnish with income; especially :to make a grant of money providing for the continuing support or maintenance of

a scholarship endowed by the testator

Origin and Etymology of endow

Anglo-French endower, from Old French en-, prefix stressing completion + douer to endow, from Latin dotare, from dot-, dos gift, dowry

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ENDOW Defined for English Language Learners

endow

Definition of endow for English Language Learners

ENDOW Defined for Kids

endow

Definition of endow for Students

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endow

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Origin and Etymology of endow

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