bequest

noun

be·​quest bi-ˈkwest 

bē-

1

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

Synonyms

• birthright
• heritage
• inheritance
• legacy
• patrimony

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 on the Web

Frenchman Michel Pouget brought the grape to Argentina in 1853 at the bequest of the country’s president, and the variety has made a new home for itself throughout the country and especially in Mendoza’s dry, high-altitude vineyards. —Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 12 Jan. 2025

Financial Aid Dartmouth College received a $150 million bequest from the late Glenn Britt and his late wife, Barbara. —Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025

Increasing Charitable Bequests High-value charitable bequests are on the rise, driven by philanthropic desires and tax planning strategies. —Matthew F. Erskine, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025

If the bequest to the U.S. citizen husband failed for local law purposes, this bequest might also fail to qualify for the unlimited marital deduction for U.S. estate tax purposes, leaving the estate caught between conflicting legal systems. —Virginia La Torre Jeker, J.d., Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, irregular from bequethen

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bequest

noun

be·​quest bi-ˈkwest 

1

: the action of bequeathing

2

: something given or left by a will

Legal Definition

bequest

noun

be·​quest bi-ˈkwest 

: 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

— specific bequest \ spə-​ˈsi-​fik-​ \

: a bequest of a particular item or part of an estate or that is payable only from a specified source in the estate and not from the general assets