The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.
legacy
bequest by will of personal property, similar in many respects to a giftcausa mortis. A legacy ordinarily is distinguished from a devise, which transfers real property by will. The person who receives a legacy is called a legatee. Legacies are of various types. A specific legacy bequeaths a designated object, e.g., a named painting. A general legacy is a sum of money to be paid out of any assets of the estate. The residuary legacy is all of the deceased’s personal property otherwise undistributed.
