endow

To endow is defined as to provide a quality, a talent, an asset or funding.

(verb)

An example of endow is when a parent passes on his intelligence to his child and the child is endowed with intelligence.
An example of endow is when you give money to a university to build a library or set up a scholarship fund.

See endow in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

to provide with some talent, quality, etc.: endowed with courage
to think of as having some quality or characteristic: to endow gods with human traits
to give money or property so as to provide an income for the support of (a college, hospital, etc.)
Obsolete to provide with a dower

Origin: ME endouen < Anglo-Fr endouer < OFr en-, in + dotare, to endow < dos: see dot

See endow in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb en·dowed, en·dow·ing, en·dows

To provide with property, income, or a source of income.
a. To equip or supply with a talent or quality: Nature endowed you with a beautiful singing voice.
b. To imagine as having a usually favorable trait or quality: endowed the family pet with human intelligence.
Obsolete To provide with a dower.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English endowen

Origin: , from Anglo-Norman endouer

Origin: : Old French en-, intensive pref.; see en-¹

Origin: + Old French douer, to provide with a dowry (from Latin dōtāre, from dōs, dōt-, dowry; see dō- in Indo-European roots)

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