endow

verb

en·​dow in-ˈdau̇ How to pronounce endow (audio)
en-
endowed; endowing; endows

transitive verb

1
: to furnish with an income
especially : to make a grant of money providing for the continuing support or maintenance of
endow a hospital
2
: to furnish with a dower
3
: to provide with something freely or naturally
endowed with a good sense of humor

Examples of endow in a Sentence

The wealthy couple endowed a new wing of the hospital. She plans to endow a faculty position at the university. The money will be used to endow the museum and research facility.
Recent Examples on the Web By emphasizing the details of her characters’ work, Waldman endows what might seem insubstantial in other hands with depth and shadow. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2024 Umaña endows Victoria with a fiery dignity that doesn’t need the replay of her fraught last days in office. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2024 He is endowed for his in-depth knowledge which spans the entire psychotropics landscape, from cultivation and extraction to industry trends and regulatory updates. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2024 We are based on a set of uncommon ideas—that all people are created equal and that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. TIME, 9 Jan. 2024 Schmeisser etched these and his other pictures with the precision of a scientist, but endowed them with a singular autobiographical character. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 22 Dec. 2023 Morral is also director of the National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research, which is philanthropically endowed with $21 million earmarked for firearm violence prevention research. Matt Laslo, WIRED, 30 Nov. 2023 The prize, endowed with €5,000, is sponsored by the DEFA Foundation. Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 6 Oct. 2023 He is endowed for his in-depth knowledge which spans the entire kratom landscape, from cultivation and extraction to industry trends and regulatory updates. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 11 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'endow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French endower, from en- + dower, douer to endow, from Latin dotare, from dot-, dos gift, dowry — more at date

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of endow was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near endow

Cite this Entry

“Endow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endow. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

endow

verb
en·​dow in-ˈdau̇ How to pronounce endow (audio)
1
: to provide with money for support or maintenance
2
: to furnish with something freely or naturally
humans are endowed with reason

Legal Definition

endow

transitive verb
en·​dow in-ˈdau̇ How to pronounce endow (audio)
: to furnish with income
especially : to make a grant of money providing for the continuing support or maintenance of
a scholarship endowed by the testator
Etymology

Anglo-French endower, from Old French en-, prefix stressing completion + douer to endow, from Latin dotare, from dot-, dos gift, dowry

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