bequeath

verb

be·​queath bi-ˈkwēth How to pronounce bequeath (audio) -ˈkwēt͟h How to pronounce bequeath (audio)
bē-
bequeathed; bequeathing; bequeaths
Synonyms of bequeath

transitive verb

1
: to give or leave by will (see will entry 2 sense 1)
—used especially of personal property
a ring bequeathed to her by her grandmother
2
: to hand down : transmit
lessons bequeathed to future generations
bequeathal
bi-ˈkwē-thəl How to pronounce bequeath (audio)
-t͟həl, 
bē-
noun

Synonyms of bequeath

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of bequeath in a Sentence

He bequeathed his paintings to the museum. Lessons of the past are bequeathed to future generations.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Each box owner has about 10 seats that can be transferred, rented out or bequeathed. — Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026 Diana received the choker as a wedding gift from Queen Elizabeth, and bequeathed it to her sons to give to their wives after her passing. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 26 June 2026 The Cubs bequeathing the dubious distinction of the sport’s longest title drought to Cleveland. — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 15 May 2026 In contrast, the railway boom and the internet stock bubble bequeathed to the economy some vital infrastructure, such as tracks, rolling stock, and fibre-optic cables. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for bequeath

Word History

Etymology

Middle English bequethen, from Old English becwethan, from be- + cwethan to say — more at quoth

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bequeath was before the 12th century

Rhymes for bequeath

See All Rhymes for bequeath

Browse Nearby Words

bepuzzle
bequeath
bequeathal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bequeath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bequeath. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

bequeath

verb
be·​queath bi-ˈkwēth How to pronounce bequeath (audio) -ˈkwēt͟h How to pronounce bequeath (audio)
1
: to give or leave property by a will
2
: hand down sense 1
traditions bequeathed by our ancestors
bequeathal
-əl How to pronounce bequeath (audio)
noun

Legal Definition

bequeath

transitive verb
be·​queath bi-ˈkwēth, -ˈkwēt͟h How to pronounce bequeath (audio)
: to give by will
—used especially of personal property but sometimes of real property see also legacy, legatee compare devise
Etymology

Old English becwethan to speak to, address, leave by will, from be- to, about + cwethan to say

More from Merriam-Webster on bequeath

Nglish: Translation of bequeath for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All