En-dow'ment, n.

n. 1. The act of settling a fund or permanent provision for the support of any one, as a widow, professor, and the like.

2. That which is bestowed or settled on a person or institution; property, fund, or revenue permanently appropriated to any object; as, the endowments of a church, of a hospital, or of a college.
3. That which is given or bestowed upon the person or mind; gift of nature; talents; natural capacity.

His early endowments had fitted him for the work he was to do. I. Taylor.