Money or property bequeathed to someone in a will.
"After reading his grandfather's will, Sarah was surprised to discover that her entire inheritance consisted of an old house rather than the cash she had expected from his legacy."
In plain English: Legacy is something valuable that you leave behind for people after you are gone.
"Her greatest legacy is the kindness she showed to everyone she met."
Usage: While legacy can refer to money left in a will, it most commonly describes something handed down from the past that influences the future, such as a family tradition or a lasting impact of an achievement. Use this broader sense when discussing enduring effects rather than specific financial inheritances.
Left over from the past; no longer current.
"The old filing system is a legacy of the 1980s that we finally managed to replace last week."
In plain English: When used as an adjective, legacy describes something that is left behind by someone who has passed away.
"The startup's legacy code made it difficult for new developers to add features."
Usage: Use "legacy" as an adjective only when describing systems, code, or technology that originated in the past and are still in use today. It implies something outdated that has been inherited rather than built for current needs.
The word legacy comes from the Latin lēgātum, which originally referred to a bequest left in a will. It traveled into English through Middle English and Old French before taking on its modern meaning of an inheritance or lasting influence.