noun
bequest
bih-KWEHST
noun
1
Property or money left to someone in a will.
"The charity received a generous bequest from a longtime supporter."
2
Something valuable handed down from the past, such as a tradition or idea.
"Their independence movement left a lasting bequest of civic pride."
How to Use Bequest
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWhat someone leaves behind for others, typically through a will.
Common mistake
Despite the similar spelling, bequest has no connection to "quest" — that word comes from Latin instead.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a generous bequest
leave a bequest
charitable bequest
Word Forms
bequested past tense, bequests plural, bequests singular
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The charity received a generous _____ from a longtime supporter.
Etymology
From Middle English biqueste, formed from be- plus an Old English root meaning "saying" — related to "quoth," not to "quest."