endowment
- 01 C1 Advanced
a large amount of money given to a university, hospital, or charity to provide it with a permanent income.
a permanent fund or source of income bestowed upon an institution, typically invested to provide ongoing financial support.
Simple“The university used a generous endowment from a former student to build the new library.”
In context“The museum's substantial endowment allows it to maintain the collection and offer free admission to the public regardless of fluctuating ticket sales.”
UsageOften used with the verbs 'provide', 'establish', or 'manage'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
a natural quality or ability that you are born with.
an innate physical or mental quality, talent, or attribute possessed by an individual.
Simple“She was lucky to have a natural endowment for music and could play the piano by ear.”
In context“The philosopher argued that every human being possesses a unique intellectual endowment that must be nurtured through rigorous education.”
UsageFrequently used in the plural form 'endowments' when referring to multiple talents.
Antonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
a type of insurance policy that pays out a lump sum of money after a specific period of time.
a form of life insurance that pays a specified sum to the insured upon reaching a certain age or to the beneficiaries upon the insured's death.
Simple“They took out an endowment policy to help pay off their mortgage in twenty years.”
In context“The financial advisor warned that the projected growth of the endowment might not be sufficient to cover the remaining balance of the loan.”
UsageCommonly appears in the compound 'endowment policy' or 'endowment mortgage'.
“Its endowment had topped $23 billion as of 2024 – the largest for any K-12 private school in the United States.”
“Many universities, museums and other charitable institutions use endowments to achieve long-term financial stability that supports their long-term missions.”
From Middle English endowement; equivalent to endow + -ment.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.