legacy
legacy — adjective
1. Relating to a computer system, software, or piece of equipment that comes from a
Relating to a computer system, software, or piece of equipment that comes from an older generation but continues to be operated because it still serves a practical purpose, even though newer versions exist.
Salma's company still runs legacy software that no one knows how to update.
collocation: legacy software / legacy system
The hospital replaced all its old legacy computers with new machines last year.
Many banks still rely on legacy systems built in the 1990s.
The bank's legacy database cannot connect to the new mobile app.
- modern
current-generation technology
- current
actively supported and maintained
- up-to-date
latest available version
文法句型
legacy + noun
用法筆記
Almost always placed before a noun (attributive position). Most common in computing and technology contexts, where it distinguishes equipment or programs that are still used from modern replacements.
常見錯誤
2. Describing an airline that has been in continuous operation since before the US
Describing an airline that has been in continuous operation since before the US airline industry was deregulated in 1978, typically with higher costs and fuller service compared to newer low-cost competitors.
Amani works for a major legacy carrier and has never flown with a budget airline.
variety: American English; collocation: legacy carrier
After deregulation, legacy airlines struggled to lower their operating costs.
The legacy airline that Reuben's father flew for has been in business since 1947.
Many travelers now prefer low-cost airlines over legacy ones for short domestic flights.
- traditional
broader meaning; legacy is a more precise term in US aviation
- full-service
focuses on the service model rather than historical status
文法句型
legacy + airline / carrier
用法筆記
Primarily used in US aviation discussions. Refers specifically to airlines such as American, Delta, and United that operated before the 1978 Airline Deregulation Act, as opposed to newer carriers like Southwest or JetBlue.
常見錯誤
legacy — noun
1. Money, property, or other valuable items that a person leaves to someone else in
Money, property, or other valuable items that a person leaves to someone else in a will, to be received after the giver's death.
When her grandmother died, Ingrid received a small legacy of old jewellery and rare books.
pattern: receive a legacy of [items]
The lawyer read the will and explained each legacy to the family members.
Mateo used the generous legacy from his uncle to buy his first apartment.
A large legacy from a former student paid for the school's new library wing.
- inheritance
broader term covering all assets passed after death, not just a specific bequest
- bequest
more formal, often used in legal contexts for a specific gift in a will
文法句型
a legacy from [someone]
leave a legacy
receive a legacy
用法筆記
Countable but appears most often in singular form. Contrast with inheritance, which refers broadly to anything received from a deceased person; legacy usually refers to a specific item or sum mentioned in a will.
常見錯誤
2. A lasting result, influence, or set of effects that an event, person, or period
A lasting result, influence, or set of effects that an event, person, or period from the past leaves behind and continues to shape the present or future.
The artist left behind a lasting legacy of paintings that still inspire young creators.
collocation: lasting legacy
Sora's grandfather built a school, and that legacy continues through the students it educates.
pattern: continue a legacy
The war left a painful legacy of poverty that lasted for decades.
Charlotte hopes her medical research will create a positive legacy for future generations.
The country's colonial legacy can still be seen in its legal and education systems.
文法句型
a legacy of [something]
leave a legacy
create a legacy
lasting legacy
用法筆記
Often preceded by an adjective describing the type of impact (cultural, political, artistic, colonial, painful). Frequently appears in the pattern leave a legacy of [something] or create a legacy for [someone/future]. Distinguish from sense 1 (INHERITED PROPERTY), which is always a tangible financial or material bequest.
常見錯誤
3. A candidate for a place at a school or college whose chances of being accepted a
A candidate for a place at a school or college whose chances of being accepted are improved by the fact that a close relative, especially a parent, was previously a student there.
Reema applied as a legacy because her mother graduated from the same university.
The college admits a small number of legacies each year alongside regular applicants.
countable: a legacy (a person)
Critics argue that legacy admissions give unfair advantages to students from wealthy backgrounds.
Jude was accepted as a legacy at his father's old law school.
- legacy applicant
more specific; describes the role during the application process
- legacy admit
focuses on the outcome of being accepted
- first-generation student
a student whose parents did not attend college; the opposite of a legacy
文法句型
a legacy (person)
legacy admission
legacy applicant
用法筆記
Chiefly US English. Used in the context of university and college admissions, where being a legacy can influence admission decisions. The word can also be used as a countable noun referring to the person themselves ('a legacy'). Distinguish from sense 1 (INHERITED PROPERTY) and sense 2 (HISTORICAL IMPACT), which describe things received, not people receiving special status.