Meaning of “legacy” in the English Dictionary

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"legacy" in English

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legacynoun [ C ]

uk ​ /ˈleɡ.ə.si/ us ​ /ˈleɡ.ə.si/

C2 money or property that you receive from someone after they die:

An elderly cousin had left her a small legacy.

C2 something that is a part of your history or that remains from an earlier time:

The Greeks have a rich legacy of literature.
The war has left a legacy of hatred.

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Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

(Definition of “legacy” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

"legacy" in American English

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legacynoun [ C ]

us ​ /ˈleɡ·ə·si/

› something that is a result of events in the past:

the bitter legacy of a civil war

› A legacy is also money or property left to a person by someone who has died.

(Definition of “legacy” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

"legacy" in Business English

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legacynoun [ C ]

uk ​ /ˈleɡəsi/ us ​ plural legacies

› a situation that has developed as a result of past actions and decisions:

legacy of sth The policies of the last ten years are responsible for the legacy of huge consumer debt.
The President's greatest legacy was the message he always gave that humans can improve their lives if they try.
The success of the Olympic Games left a lasting legacy of benefit to the city.

› LAW money or property that a person or organization receives from someone who has died:

Many people want to leave a legacy to a charity they have supported all their lives.
See also
demonstrative legacy
general legacy
residuary legacy

legacyadjective [ before noun ]

uk ​ /ˈleɡəsi/ us ​

› a legacy product or system is one that is no longer available to buy or no longer used very often, but that is still used by some people or companies:

legacy computer/information systems

(Definition of “legacy” from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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legacy

However, the legacy of the years when materials were simply dumped remains and has sometimes returned to haunt us, often with very severe consequences.
From Europarl Parallel Corpus - English
Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is that we are fighting numerous problems on the railways which are a legacy from the past.
From Europarl Parallel Corpus - English
Every form of violence leaves a legacy of psychological damage which can only be repaired in rare cases or with difficulty.
From Europarl Parallel Corpus - English
This, in turn, will bring about stability, and the irreversibility of the process of democratisation, and economic growth in this region, which carries a heavy historic legacy.
From Europarl Parallel Corpus - English
However, the legacy of the years when materials were simply dumped remains and sometimes comes back to haunt us, with severe consequences.
From Europarl Parallel Corpus - English
As well as the deaths and the terrible illnesses in the region, 15 years on there is still a frightening legacy of radioactive contamination.
From Europarl Parallel Corpus - English
Perhaps the most toxic part of the legacy is the way in which nationalism retains its attractiveness for a politically important part of society, a part of the elite included.
From Europarl Parallel Corpus - English
We are still dealing with the legacy of colonial rule, in both the colonised and colonising states, but we have ignored the possibility that this tragedy might occur again.
From Europarl Parallel Corpus - English
I believe these laws should be repealed, as any modified text will only be a legacy of the past and allow for continued violence and discrimination.
From Europarl Parallel Corpus - English
The nuclear industry has caused enormous damage already and we have to be certain that more and more communities and people's lives are not blighted by its legacy in future.
From Europarl Parallel Corpus - English
Translations of “legacy”
 
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