Endow Meaning
/ɪnˈdaʊ/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
verbTo give property to (someone) as a gift; specifically, to provide (a person or institution) with support in the form of a permanent fund of money or other benefits.
verbTo enrich or furnish with some faculty or quality.
Sentence Examples
The billionaire decided to endow a new scholarship fund.
Nature has chosen to endow him with a great talent for music.
The wealthy alumnus decided to endow a new science library.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The wealthy businessman decided to ____ the university with a new library.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The wealthy benefactor decided to ____ the university with a large grant.
Word Origin & History
From Late Middle English endowen, endouen, enduen, indouen, indw (“to provide with assets, a livelihood, or privileges; to bestow, grant; (figuratively) to favour; to endow”), from Anglo-Norman endouer, from Old French en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’) + douer (“to endow”) (from Latin dōtāre (present active infinitive of dōtō (“to endow”)); modern French douer). Dōtō is derived from dōs (“dowry; endowment, gift”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deh₃- (“to give”)) + -ō (suffix forming regular first-conjugation verbs).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"His [John, King of England's] Acts and Orders for the VVeale-publike vvere beyond moſt: hee being either the firſt, or the chiefeſt, vvho appointed thoſe noble Formes of Ciuill gouernement in London, and moſt Cities, and Incorporate Tovvnes of England, endovving them alſo vvith their greateſt Franchiſes; […]"
— 1611, Iohn Speed [i.e., John Speed], “Iohn, Duke of Normandie, Guyen, and Aquitaine, &c. […]”, in The History of Great Britaine under the Conquests of yͤ Romans, Saxons, Danes and Normans. […], London: […] William Hall and John Beale, for John Sudbury and George Humble, […], →OCLC, book IX ([Englands Monarchs] […]), paragraph 63, page 506, column 2:
"Men began to build Churches on their own Grounds, at their own Charges, and to endow theſe; and they were naturally the Maſters, and in the true Signification of the Roman word, the Patrons of them."
— 1713, Gilbert Lord Bishop of Sarum [i.e., Gilbert Burnet], “The Additional Chapter. Chap. X. Of Presentations to Benefices, and Simony”, in The New Preface and Additional Chapter to the Third Edition of the Pastoral Care. […], London: Printed for D. Midwinter […], and B. Cowse […]; [a]nd sold by A. Baldwin […], →OCLC, pages 27–28:
"Finding her quite incorrigible in this respect, Emma suffered her to depart; but not before she had confided to her that important and never-sufficiently-to-be-taken-care-of answer, and endowed her moreover with a pretty little bracelet as a keepsake."
— 1841 February–November, Charles Dickens, “Barnaby Rudge. Chapter 20.”, in Master Humphrey’s Clock, volume III, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 46:
"The blessing of private initiative for public affairs is destined to be appreciated more deeply. Empty government coffers and a regular exchange of views with experts from all over the world add impetus, even if concepts developed indigenously sometimes still lack a realistic approach to the vital issue of endowing and funding new foundations."
— 1999, Rupert Graf Strachwitz, “Foundations in Germany and Their Revival in East Germany after 1989”, in Helmut K. Anheier, Stefan Toepler, editors, Private Funds, Public Purpose: Philanthropic Foundations in International Perspective (Nonprofit and Civil Society Studies), New York, N.Y.: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, →ISBN, page 232:
"Wherby we bith lerned þat it shalnot only be goode to owre prince, but also to vs selff, that he be well indowed; ffor ellis the patriarke wolde not haue made such a trety."
— [c. 1471, John Fortescue, “Here is Shewid, What off the Kynges Livelod Geven awey, mey Beste be Taken a Geyn”, in Charles Plummer, editor, The Governance of England: Otherwise Called The Difference between an Absolute and a Limited Monarchy […] (in Middle English), London: Oxford University Press; Humphrey Milford, published 1885 (1926 printing), →OCLC, page 135:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The wealthy businessman decided to ____ the university with a new library.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The wealthy benefactor decided to ____ the university with a large grant.