legacy

American  

[leg-uh-see] / ˈlɛg ə si /

noun

plural

legacies

1. Law. a gift of property, especially personal property, such as money, by will; a bequest.

   Synonyms:

   inheritance

2. anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor.

   the legacy of ancient Rome.

   Synonyms:

   inheritance

3. an applicant to or student at the alma mater of their parent or parents.

   As a legacy, he worried that professors would expect him to be less qualified than his peers.

4. Obsolete. the office, function, or commission of a legate.

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adjective

1. of or relating to old or outdated computer hardware, software, or data that, while still functional, does not work well with up-to-date systems.

   Legacy systems put you at greater risk of cyberattacks.

2. of or relating to an existing system, process, or state of affairs inherited from the past and typically a burden.

   legacy pollutants;

   a legacy drainage system.

3. being or relating to a university applicant or student whose parent or other close relative attended the same school.

   The admissions policies of most Ivy League schools favor legacy applicants.

legacy British  

/ ˈlɛɡəsɪ /

noun

1. a gift by will, esp of money or personal property

2. something handed down or received from an ancestor or predecessor

3. (modifier) surviving computer systems, hardware, or software

   legacy network

   legacy application

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Etymology

Origin of legacy

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English legacie “office of a deputy or legate,” from Medieval Latin lēgātia, from Latin lēgāt(us) “deputy” ( legate ) + -ia, noun suffix ( -acy )

Example Sentences

There is little doubt about his legacy as one of the greats for Liverpool and in Premier League history.

From BBC

"So I think that even with 30 years on the game's legacy, people still want to go through those thrills over and over again, because that's really what makes us human."

From BBC

"The legacy of Princess Diana still shapes how people perceive cars and photographers," she said.

From BBC

While the subject matter is drawn from traditional Japanese art and the other materials are ancient in their legacy, these quiet meditations are hyper contemporary.

From The Wall Street Journal

Just how successful the merger of two legacy media outlets that are both facing financial pressures would be, remains an open question.

From BBC

Related Words

• estate
• gift
• tradition