Bequest Definition

bĭ-kwĕst
bequests
noun
bequests
The act of giving or leaving personal property by a will.
American Heritage
The act of bequeathing.
Webster's New World
Something that is bequeathed; a legacy.
American Heritage
Anything bequeathed.
Webster's New World

A gift of personal property (usually other than money) by means of a will. Also, any personal property given by means of a will. See also devise and legacy.

Webster's New World Law
Synonyms:
verb
To give as a bequest; bequeath.
Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Bequest

Noun

Singular:
bequest
Plural:
bequests

Origin of Bequest

  • From Middle English bequeste (“will, testament, bequest”), from be- + queste (“saying, utterance”), from Old English *cwist, *cwiss, from Proto-Germanic *kwissiz (“saying”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷet- (“to say”). Related to Old English andcwiss (“answer, reply”), Old English uncwisse (“dumb, mute”), Middle English bequethen (“bequeath”). More at quoth, bequeath.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English biquest (influenced by biquethen to bequeath) bi- be- quist will (from Old English -cwis) (as in andcwis answer gwet- in Indo-European roots)

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

Bequest Sentence Examples

  • The art association of Indianapolis was founded in 1883; and under its auspices is conducted an art school (1902) in accordance with the bequest of John Herron (1817-1895), the school and museum of the association being housed in the John Herron Art Institute, dedicated in 1906.

  • His chief benefaction, however, was a bequest of $400,000 for the foundation and endowment of a public library in New York City, since known as the Astor library, and since 1895 part of the New York public library.

  • The Cassie Gift arose out of a bequest by Alexander Cassie of London, a native of Banff, who left £ 20,000 to the poor of the town - the interest being divided twice a year.

  • Towards the close of the 14th century all the separate portions had come by inheritance or bequest into the hands of Rudolph IV.

  • The institution owes its origin to a bequest left by John McDonogh.

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Words Starting With

BBEBEQ

Words Ending With

TSTEST

Unscrambles

bequest

Words Starting With B and Ending With T

Starts With B & Ends With TStarts With BE & Ends With TStarts With B & Ends With ST

Word Length

7 Letter Words7 Letter Words Starting With B7 Letter Words Ending With T