endow

verb

en·​dow in-ˈdau̇ How to pronounce endow (audio)
en-
endowed; endowing; endows

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

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 on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The $1 million contribution, provided by the Bale family, established the hospital's Pediatric Interventional Radiology endowed chair. Keelin Fisher, Arkansas Online, 24 June 2025 The gift, made in November 2024, will endow two professorships within the Department of Neurology. Jason Phillips, USA Today, 17 June 2025 Photographed by Huy Luong The requisite lady of good fortune—here, a family friend endowed with blessings both material and familial—then combed Cheng’s hair with a vintage gold Buccellati comb for extra-lucky combing. Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 22 May 2025 Miller is a man who is richly endowed with the capacity for hatred. Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for endow

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of endow was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Endow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endow. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

endow

verb
en·​dow in-ˈdau̇ How to pronounce endow (audio)
1
: to provide with money for support or maintenance
2
: to furnish with something freely or naturally
humans are endowed with reason

Legal Definition

endow

transitive verb
en·​dow in-ˈdau̇ How to pronounce endow (audio)
: 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
Etymology

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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