legacy

American  

[leg-uh-see] / ˈlɛg ə si /

noun

legacies plural

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.

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 of or relating to old or outdated computer hardware, software, or data that, while still functional, does not work well with up-to-date systems.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

/ 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

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Etymology

Origin of legacy

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English legacie “office of a deputy or legate,” from Medieval Latin lēgātia, from Latin lēgāt(us) “deputy” ( see legate) + -ia, noun suffix ( cf. -acy)

Explanation

Use the word, legacy, for something handed down from one generation to the next. A retiring company president might leave a legacy of honesty and integrity. Legacy comes from the Latin verb, legare "to appoint by a last will, send as an ambassador." Originally, the noun meant "ambassador" or "envoy" but soon shifted to mean the money and property a person leaves behind in his will. Many university scholarships are funded by the legacies of former students. In recent usage, political leaders are said to be concerned with their legacies, the historically significant achievements of their tenure in office.

Example Sentences

He taught algebra at a Boyle Heights middle school and a Watts high school before joining Hackman in 2018, where he’s worked on multibillion-dollar projects transforming legacy studio lots for one of Hollywood’s largest landlords.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

She’s already reset her legacy at least three times, sure.

From Salon • May 29, 2026

Tulsa, once the oil capital of the world, has built on its industrial legacy and diversified its economy.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

"I don't hate Sunderland, but I hate what they did to me and I hate the fact my legacy is mud," he says.

From BBC • May 27, 2026

He’d longed to follow in his father’s footsteps, the Okojo family's footsteps, and to add something worthwhile to that legacy.

From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray

Related Words

• estate
• gift
• tradition