legacy
Meaning: Something handed down by a predecessor; a lasting impact or consequence of a person, event, or era. Also, money or property left in a will.
Legacy operates in both concrete and abstract senses. Concretely, it means a bequest in a will. Abstractly — and more commonly — it refers to the lasting effects that a person, policy, or historical event leaves behind. Politicians are often concerned with their legacy; historians assess the legacy of revolutions and reforms. In technology, 'legacy' as an adjective describes outdated systems still in use. Common collocations include 'leave a legacy,' 'the legacy of,' 'a lasting legacy,' and 'legacy systems.'
Examples
- The social reforms of the post-war Labour government left a lasting legacy that shaped British society for generations. 战后工党政府的社会改革留下了持久的遗产,塑造了数代英国社会。Las reformas sociales del gobierno laborista de posguerra dejaron un legado duradero que configuró la sociedad británica durante generaciones.戦後の労働党政権による社会改革は、何世代にもわたってイギリス社会を形づくる永続的な遺産を残した。전후 노동당 정부의 사회개혁은 여러 세대에 걸쳐 영국 사회를 형성하는 지속적인 유산을 남겼다.
- The charity encourages supporters to leave a legacy in their wills to fund future research. 该慈善机构鼓励支持者在遗嘱中留下遗赠,以资助未来的研究。La organización benéfica anima a sus colaboradores a dejar un legado en sus testamentos para financiar futuras investigaciones.その慈善団体は支援者に対し、将来の研究資金のために遺言で遺贈を残すよう呼びかけている。그 자선단체는 지지자들에게 미래의 연구 자금을 위해 유언으로 유산을 남길 것을 독려하고 있다.
- The company struggled to maintain its ageing legacy IT systems whilst simultaneously investing in new technology. 该公司在维护老化的传统IT系统的同时,还要投资新技术,颇感力不从心。La empresa luchaba por mantener sus anticuados sistemas informáticos heredados mientras invertía simultáneamente en nueva tecnología.同社は老朽化したレガシーITシステムの維持に苦慮しながら、同時に新技術への投資も進めなければならなかった。회사는 노후화된 레거시 IT 시스템을 유지하면서 동시에 신기술에 투자해야 하는 어려움을 겪었다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: media, academic, professional
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From medieval Latin legatia, from Latin legatum (a bequest), from legare (to appoint by a last will, send as a delegate). The figurative sense of something inherited from the past — beyond mere property — developed in English from the seventeenth century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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