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 of or relating to old or outdated computer hardware, software, or data that, while still functional, does not work well with up-to-date systems.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

Explanation

Use the word, legacy, for something handed down from one generation to the next. A retiring company president might leave a legacy of honesty and integrity. Legacy comes from the Latin verb, legare "to appoint by a last will, send as an ambassador." Originally, the noun meant "ambassador" or "envoy" but soon shifted to mean the money and property a person leaves behind in his will. Many university scholarships are funded by the legacies of former students. In recent usage, political leaders are said to be concerned with their legacies, the historically significant achievements of their tenure in office.

Example Sentences

Whole life insurance is one option for a legacy and covering funeral expenses.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

But Thoreau’s show of civil disobedience has resounded down the ages, creating a political legacy claimed by liberals and conservatives, libertarians and Marxists External link.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Skyhorse Publishing says it is starting a new imprint with the influential former Fox News host, with the stated aim of challenging the boundaries of what legacy media deems acceptable.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

"At the end of the day, it's a math challenge. There is no unfair advantage from legacy technology like classical computing or something like that, so there is no reason to be shy."

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

She cited the words of Martin Luther King, declaring that his legacy and the nation’s commitment to justice had been “disserved by today’s decision.”

From "Because They Marched" by Russell Freedman

Related Words

• estate
• gift
• tradition