English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
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noun

endowment

ihn-DOW-muhnt
noun
1
A sum of money or property given to an institution to provide it with ongoing income.
"The college relies on its endowment to fund scholarships."
2
A natural talent or quality someone possesses.
"His musical endowment was clear from a young age."

How to Use Endowment

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA gift of money that funds something long-term, or a natural gift or ability.

Common pairings
endowment fund university endowment

Word Forms

endowments plural

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The college relies on its _____ to fund scholarships.

Etymology

From Middle English endowement, from endow plus -ment.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial