endowment

[en-dou-muhnt]

noun

1. the act of endowing.

2. the property, funds, etc., with which an institution or person is endowed.

   Synonyms: bequest, grant, gift

3. Usually endowments. an attribute of mind or body; a gift of nature.

   Synonyms: ability, talent, capacity, capability

endowment

/ ɪnˈdaʊmənt /

noun

1. 1. the source of income with which an institution, etc, is endowed

   2. the income itself

2. the act or process of endowing

3. (usually plural) natural talents or qualities

Other Word Forms

• nonendowment noun
• reendowment noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of endowment¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Anglo-French endowement; equivalent to endow + -ment

Example Sentences

Pensions, university endowments and insurers now keep a lot of their money in long-term, hard-to-trade investments.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The private markets, long the preserve of institutional investors such as pension systems and endowments, are being reshaped by a surge of capital from wealthy individuals.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Yes, it’s a drop in the bucket compared with Harvard’s gigantic $57 billion endowment.

Read more on MarketWatch

Ten people, including a woman and a young girl, were killed when a ministry of religious endowments building in the eastern Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City was hit, according to rescuers.

Read more on BBC

To pay the bills the museum has also been drawing down the endowment.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bequest 
• donation 
• fund 
• funding www.thesaurus.com
• grant 
• income 
• inheritance 
• largess www.thesaurus.com
• nest egg 
• pension 
• revenue 
• stipend 
• subsidy 
• trust