bequeath

American  

[bih-kweeth, -kweeth] / bɪˈkwiθ, -ˈkwið /

verb (used with object)

1. to dispose of (personal property, especially money) by last will.

   She bequeathed her half of the company to her niece.

   Synonyms:

   consign, grant, bestow, leave, impart, will

2. to hand down; pass on.

3. Obsolete. to commit; entrust.

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bequeath British  

/ bɪˈkwiːð, -ˈkwiːθ /

verb

1. law to dispose of (property, esp personal property) by will Compare devise

2. to hand down; pass on, as to following generations

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Other Word Forms

• bequeathable
  adjective
• bequeathal
  noun
• bequeather
  noun
• bequeathment
  noun
• unbequeathable
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of bequeath

First recorded before 1000; Middle English bequethen, Old English becwethan ( be- be- + cwethan “to say” ( see quoth), cognate with Old High German quedan, Gothic qithan )

Explanation

To bequeath is to leave your possessions to another person after you die. A man might love his classic cars but would be happy to bequeath them to his grandchildren when he writes out his last will and testament. Bequeath often is used about making plans to give away property and possessions after a person's death, like the pearl necklace that your great-grandmother bequeathed to you or a house that your uncle bequeathed to a his favorite charity. Sometimes bequeath is used for things handed down without death, as when living parents and grandparents pass, or bequeath, a legacy of stories or family traits and talents as an inheritance.

Example Sentences

If you bequeath a Roth, heirs’ withdrawals are tax-free.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

And yet you can’t bequeath to your children a crust of bread.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

If your friend has a valuable piece of jewelry she may wish to bequeath those to a sister or aunt or niece.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 3, 2025

With an estimated worth of $60 million, Goldberg said in a spring episode that she plans to bequeath it all to her daughter, Alexandrea Martin.

From Salon • Nov. 12, 2024

Aurelia had all the intelligence that her clever parents could bequeath her.

From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks

Related Words

• bestow
• entrust
• hand down
• impart
• pass on