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definitions

legacy

[ leg-uh-see ]
/ ˈlɛg ə si /
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noun, plural leg·a·cies.

Law. a gift of property, especially personal property, as money, by will; a bequest.
anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor: the legacy of ancient Rome.
an applicant to or student at a school that was attended by his or her parent.
Obsolete. the office, function, or commission of a legate.

adjective

of or relating to old or outdated computer hardware, software, or data that, while still functional, does not work well with up-to-date systems.

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RELATED WORDS

tradition, gift, estate, birthright, heirloom, devise, endowment, bequest, throwback

Nearby words

  1. leg-of-mutton,
  2. leg-pull,
  3. leg-warmer,
  4. leg-work,
  5. leg.,
  6. legal,
  7. legal age,
  8. legal aid,
  9. legal aid society,
  10. legal blindness

Origin of legacy

1325–75; Middle English legacie office of a deputy or legate < Medieval Latin lēgātia. See legate, -acy
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for legacy

British Dictionary definitions for legacy

legacy

/ (ˈlɛɡəsɪ) /

noun plural -cies

a gift by will, esp of money or personal property
something handed down or received from an ancestor or predecessor
(modifier) surviving computer systems, hardware, or softwarelegacy network; legacy application

Word Origin for legacy

C14 (meaning: office of a legate), C15 (meaning: bequest): from Medieval Latin lēgātia commission; see legate
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for legacy

legacy

n.

late 14c., "body of persons sent on a mission," from Old French legatie "legate's office," from Medieval Latin legatia, from Latin legatus "ambassador, envoy," noun use of past participle of legare "appoint by a last will, send as a legate" (see legate). Sense of "property left by will" appeared in Scottish mid-15c.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper