bequest
Americannoun
-
a disposition in a will.
-
a legacy.
A small bequest allowed her to live independently.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of bequest
1250–1300; Middle English biqueste, biquyste, equivalent to bi- be- + quiste will, bequest, Old English -cwis ( se ) (with excrescent t, as in behest ), noun derivative of cwethan to say; on the model of bequethen bequeath
Explanation
When you receive some kind of gift, be it money or property, through a will, that gift is known as a bequest. Your aunt left you a bequest of the earrings she always thought you admired. The noun bequest is something one arranges to give away after death, sort of a gift from beyond the grave. Basically, putting a bequest in a will is a way of making sure the right person will get certain goods after your death. If you are very wealthy, universities and charitable organizations may court you in an attempt to gain bequests for their institutions.
Vocabulary lists containing bequest
Beowulf vocabulary
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
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Pygmalion
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
They have their downsides, including the loss of liquidity, the loss of bequest and vulnerability to inflation.
From MarketWatch ● May 21, 2026
Since you wouldn’t have to worry about running out of money in old age, you might travel the world, buy a sports car, or gift an early bequest to heirs.
From Barron's ● May 21, 2026
That’s a father’s bequest to his son, and a public servant’s to his country.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 13, 2026
British scientist James Smithson’s bequest was intended to support “the increase and diffusion of knowledge.”
From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2025
In April of 1857, Mrs. Fox wrote to Robert Kane asking about the bequest for Maggie; he didn’t respond.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Examples assume 5% annual inflation-adjusted stock-market return, 2% annual inflation-adjusted risk-free interest rate and no planned bequests.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 19, 2026
Gold bars, rings and necklaces can be handed down to the next generation as wedding gifts or inheritance bequests.
From Barron's ● Jan. 30, 2026
It’s also likely that the Reiners included charitable bequests in their estate plans.
From Salon ● Dec. 25, 2025
You can also make bequests in a will, either by leaving a specific dollar amount or a percentage of your estate.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 19, 2025
It is advisable, but not necessary, that the Secretary should be formally notified of such bequests, as wills sometimes get lost or mislaid.
From A Grammar of Freethought by Cohen, Chapman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
