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

• aptitude
• bent
• faculty
• flair
• genius
• gift
• head
• knack
• talent

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

The Power Of Small Gifts And Community Ownership Small donations, often perceived as inconsequential in the face of large endowments, hold untapped potential. —Michele Smith, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

The expansion of the program comes after the Board of Regents established a $167 million endowment at UT Austin in 2019 to cover tuition and fees for in-state undergraduate students for families with an annual gross income of up to $65,000 and reduce tuition costs for families earning to $125,000. —Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 22 Nov. 2024

Harvard’s endowment was valued at $53.2 billion as of June 2024. —Fortune Editors, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2024

Harvard's endowment distributed $2.4 billion toward the university's operating budget, which was up from $2.2 billion the prior year. —Dan Primack, Axios, 17 Oct. 2024

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