Endowment Meaning
/ɪnˈdaʊmənt/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounSomething with which a person or thing is endowed.
nounProperty or funds invested for the support and benefit of a person or not-for-profit institution.
Sentence Examples
The university's endowment grew 10% in the last year alone.
The university's endowment has decreased steadily over the last ten years.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The college's large ____ allows it to offer many scholarships every year.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The library’s large ____ allows it to buy many new books yearly.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English endowement; equivalent to endow + -ment.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Thus it was with Henrietta. She knew more of the world than most women of her years; for her converse had been chiefly with her uncle, a man of remarkable endowments: and she had read an infinite variety of book—read them, too, with that quick perception which seizes motive and meaning with intuitive accuracy."
— 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Age and Youth”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 8:
"[…] the woman with larger-than-usual breasts will be initially perceived only as a sex object if she doesn't take steps to disguise her endowment."
— 1980, Ray Broadus Browne, Rituals and ceremonies in popular culture, page 230:
"What is … important is that we — number one: Learn to live with each other. Number two: try to bring out the best in each other. The best from the best, and the best from those who, perhaps, might not have the same endowment."
— 1985 May 11, Jonas Salk, Interview on, The Open Mind:
"Tami also had huge breasts, and every teenage boy wanted to touch them. […] Tami, knowing she was not beautiful, used her endowment to great advantage."
— 2006, Natalie R. Collins, Wives and Sisters, page 54:
"Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return."
— 2013 July 6, “The rise of smart beta”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8843, page 68:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The college's large ____ allows it to offer many scholarships every year.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The library’s large ____ allows it to buy many new books yearly.