leg·a·cy

[leg-uh-see] noun, plural leg·a·cies.
1.
Law. a gift of property, especially personal property, as money, by will; a bequest.
2.
anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor: the legacy of ancient Rome.
3.
an applicant to or student at a school that was attended by his or her parent.
4.
Obsolete. the office, function, or commission of a legate.
adjective
5.
of or pertaining to old or outdated computer hardware, software, or data that, while still functional, does not work well with up-to-date systems.
00:10
Legacy is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.

Origin:
1325–75; Middle English legacie office of a deputy or legate < Medieval Latin lēgātia. See legate, -acy


1, 2. inheritance.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
legacy (ˈlɛɡəsɪ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n , pl -cies
1.  a gift by will, esp of money or personal property
2.  something handed down or received from an ancestor or predecessor
3.  (modifier) surviving computer systems, hardware, or software: legacy network; legacy application
 
[C14 (meaning: office of a legate), C15 (meaning: bequest): from Medieval Latin lēgātia commission; see legate]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

legacy
late 14c., "body of persons sent on a mission," from O.Fr. legacie "legate's office," from M.L. legatia, from L. legatus "ambassador, envoy," noun use of pp. of legare "appoint by a last will, send as a legate" (see legate). Sense of "property left by will" appeared in Scot. c.1460.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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FOLDOC
Computing Dictionary

legacy definition


legacy system

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © Denis Howe 2010 http://foldoc.org
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Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

legacy

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 legacy with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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Example sentences
He also was methodical about safeguarding his legacy.
Its originality and striking beauty should inspire us to revisit his
  achievement and his legacy.
He had confronted an unknown genetic legacy and a self-destructive drug habit,
  and he was lucky to be alive.
It is this idea of universality that is the true legacy of the scientific
  revolution.
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