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bequest

 - 5 dictionary results

be⋅quest

[bi-kwest]
–noun
1. a disposition in a will.
2. a legacy: A small bequest allowed her to live independently.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME biqueste, biquyste, equiv. to bi- be- + quiste will, bequest, OE -cwis(se) (with excrescent t, as in behest ), n. deriv. of cwethan to say; on the model of bequethen bequeath
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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be·quest   (bĭ-kwěst')   
n.  
  1. The act of giving or leaving personal property by a will.

  2. Something that is bequeathed; a legacy.


[Middle English biquest (influenced by biquethen, to bequeath) : bi-, be- + quist, will (from Old English -cwis, as in andcwis, answer; see gwet- in Indo-European roots).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Financial Dictionary

Bequest

The process of giving stocks, bonds, or any other assets to beneficiaries through the provisions of a will.

Investopedia Commentary

Bequests can be made to family, friends, institutions, or charities.

Related Links

Who Is The Beneficiary Of Your Account?
Problematic Beneficiary Designations - Part 1
Problematic Beneficiary Designations - Part 2

See also: Asset, Beneficiary, Escheat, Estate Planning, Heir, Inheritance, Will

Investopedia.com. Copyright © 1999-2005 - All rights reserved. Owned and Operated by Investopedia Inc.
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: be·quest
Pronunciation: bi-'kwest
Function: noun
: an act of bequeathing; also : something bequeathed : LEGACY
de·mon·stra·tive bequest
/di-'män-str&-tiv-/
: a bequest of a particular amount of money or property to be distributed first from one source in the estate and then from other sources to the extent that the first is insufficient
general bequest
: a bequest that is to be distributed from the general assets of the estate and that is not a particular thing
spe·ci·fic bequest
/sp&-'si-fik-/
: a bequest of a particular item or part of an estate or that is payable only from a specified source in the estate and not from the general assets
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Encyclopedia

bequest

in law, generally a gift of property by will or testament. The term is used to denote the disposition of either personal or real property in the event of death.

Learn more about bequest with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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