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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
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
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
Current trends on asset values, bequests, charitable giving and the lifespans and spending rates of the wealthy all may vary.
—Robert Frank, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2024
One person’s bequest can help save eight lives and potentially enhance 75 others through organ and tissue donation, Foster points out.
—Kathy A. McDonald, Variety, 12 Dec. 2024
For instance, an earlier bequest might feel obligatory even if circumstances change.
—Matthew F. Erskine, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bequest
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Word History
Etymology
Middle English, irregular from bequethen
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of bequest was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near bequest
Cite this Entry
“Bequest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bequest. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
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
More from Merriam-Webster on bequest
Nglish: Translation of bequest for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of bequest for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bequest
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