bequest

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word bequest. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word bequest, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say bequest in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word bequest you have here. The definition of the word bequest will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofbequest, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English biqueste, bequeste (“will, testament, bequest”), from be +‎ -quiste, queste (“saying, utterance, testament, will, legacy”), from Old English *cwist, *cwiss (“saying”) (compare Old English andcwiss, ġecwis, uncwisse, etc.), 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 (“to bequeath”). More at quoth, bequeath.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bɪˈkwɛst/
  • Audio (Southern England)(file)
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛst

Noun

bequest (plural bequests)

  1. The act of bequeathing or leaving by will.
  2. The transfer of property upon the owner's death according to the will of the deceased.
  3. That which is left by will; a legacy.
  4. That which has been handed down or transmitted.
  5. A person's inheritance; an amount of property given by will.
Synonyms
Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English biquesten, from the noun (see above).

Verb

bequest (third-person singular simple present bequests, present participle bequesting, simple past and past participle bequested)

  1. (transitive) To give as a bequest; bequeath.
Translations
Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia