bequest

American  

[bih-kwest] / bɪˈkwɛst /

noun

1. a disposition in a will.

2. a legacy.

   A small bequest allowed her to live independently.

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bequest British  

/ bɪˈkwɛst /

noun

1. 1. the act of bequeathing

   2. something that is bequeathed

2. law a gift of property by will, esp personal property Compare devise devise

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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.

Example Sentences

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

A promise or statement of intent is not the same as a bequest or beneficiary designation.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 20, 2025

British scientist James Smithson’s bequest was intended to support “the increase and diffusion of knowledge.”

From Salon • Aug. 22, 2025

The commission’s most important bequest from the Pentagon’s nuclear energy apparatus was the Manhattan District’s network of atomic labs, which Groves had kept intact after the war.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• endowment
• inheritance