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

Private schools that don’t have billon-dollar endowments have struggled to maintain their excellence. —Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 26 May 2026

Financial aid and other programs at the college are funded through its endowment, which supports almost 60% of the school's operating budget, the press release says. —Laura Fay, CBS News, 26 May 2026

This measures schools’ endowment assets at year end per full-time equivalent student and is perhaps the most important determinant in a college’s long term financial health. —Matt Schifrin, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026

The complaint pointed out that the museum has failed to comply with the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA), which requires trustees to manage an endowment so that its spending power is maintained. —Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 19 May 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