endowment

noun

en·​dow·​ment in-ˈdau̇-mənt How to pronounce endowment (audio)
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

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
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.
If the goal of education is a successful career and a meaningful life, individual attention and hands-on mentoring will matter much more than the size of the endowment or the selectivity of admissions, which are often included in common ratings. Ray Ravaglia, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025 The Senate's college endowment proposal sought to raise a tax on schools' investment income from 1.4% to 4% or 8%, depending on their wealth. Arkansas Online, 28 June 2025 The endowment is largely invested in real estate, stocks and bonds. Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 28 June 2025 Harvard, with its $53 billion endowment, is uniquely positioned to weather the government's financial pressure. Sonam Sheth gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for endowment

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Endowment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endowment. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

endowment

noun
en·​dow·​ment in-ˈdau̇-mənt How to pronounce endowment (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on endowment

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!