Things left behind or inherited from the past, such as money, property, or traditions; lasting effects or influences of something that happened long ago.
From Latin 'legatum' (something bequeathed), from 'legare' (to bequeath or send as a delegate), used in English since the 1300s in legal and financial contexts.
A person's legacy isn't just what they leave in their will—it's the ideas, problems, and patterns they leave behind in society—which is why environmental legacies of pollution can take centuries to clean up and cultural legacies shape how we think today.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.