endowment
n. countablen. a large amount of money given to a school, hospital, or charity to provide it with a permanent income. It can also mean a natural quality or talent that someone has from birth.
n. a fund or property donated to an institution, individual, or group as a source of income. It may also refer to a natural capacity, power, or ability possessed by an individual.
The university received a generous endowment from a former student.
The museum relies on its annual endowment to fund the restoration of historical artifacts and maintain the building.
While the college's financial endowment ensures its long-term stability, the dean often remarked that the intellectual endowment of the faculty was the institution's most valuable asset.
From Middle English endowement; equivalent to endow + -ment.
Countable when referring to specific funds or natural talents; uncountable when referring to the general state of being endowed.