Bequest vs Legacy: What’s the Difference?
The difference at a glance
A bequest is a specific asset gifted in a will. Legacy refers to the broader, long-lasting impact or inheritance left behind by a person.
Example sentences are illustrative learning examples, not verified quotations.
What does Bequest mean?
noun · /bɪˈkwɛst/
A gift of personal property or money left to someone in a will. The bequest is the act of giving that extends beyond death — the intention to benefit someone you will not live to see receive it.
Explore BequestBequest in a sentence
Her bequest to the university library carried her name forward into a future she never saw.
He received a small bequest from a relative he barely remembered — enough to matter.
What does Legacy mean?
noun · /ˈlɛɡəsi/
Something handed down from a predecessor; an amount or quality passed on to those who come after, whether money, ideas, values, or consequences.
Explore LegacyLegacy in a sentence
Her greatest legacy wasn't her books but the writers she'd encouraged into existence.
He thought about legacy constantly — the kind of thinking that can make you either more careful or more reckless.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Bequest and Legacy?
A bequest is a specific asset gifted in a will. Legacy refers to the broader, long-lasting impact or inheritance left behind by a person.
What does Bequest mean?
A gift of personal property or money left to someone in a will. The bequest is the act of giving that extends beyond death — the intention to benefit someone you will not live to see receive it.
What does Legacy mean?
Something handed down from a predecessor; an amount or quality passed on to those who come after, whether money, ideas, values, or consequences.