1. a large amount of money or property given to an institution, especially a college or university, to provide it with an income
2. a natural ability or quality that someone is born with
3. the act of giving money or property to an institution

Examples

• The university’s endowment fund is worth over $500 million.
• She left a generous endowment to the hospital in her will.
• His natural endowment for music was evident from an early age.
• The scholarship was made possible by an anonymous endowment.
• The museum relies on its endowment to cover operating costs.
• Her intellectual endowments impressed all her teachers.
• The endowment of the new library was celebrated with a ceremony.