legacy

[leg-uh-see]

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.

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 of or relating to old or outdated computer hardware, software, or data that, while still functional, does not work well with up-to-date systems.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

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of legacy¹

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 )

Word History and Origins

Origin of legacy¹

C14 (meaning: office of a legate), C15 (meaning: bequest): from Medieval Latin lēgātia commission; see _legate

Example Sentences

"Imran will be profoundly missed, but his legacy will remain with us always," said his family in a statement issued by England Hockey.

Read more on BBC

“The play was overload left and it was wide open. We’re proud to add to the school legacy — we hadn’t won City in a long time.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Indeed, her book is replete with their habit of self-examination, an unflattering comparison with today’s legacy press.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Iznik’s Christian population is long gone, but its legacy is still visible.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Frye said this was a legacy of colonialism and apartheid.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• estate 
• gift 
• tradition