[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

endowment \endow"ment\, n.
   1. the act of bestowing a dower, fund, or permanent provision
      for support.
      1913 webster

   2. that which is bestowed or settled on a person or an
      institution; property, fund, or revenue permanently
      appropriated to any object; as, the endowment of a church,
      a hospital, or a college.
      1913 webster

   3. that which is given or bestowed upon the person or mind;
      gift of nature; accomplishment; natural capacity; talents;
      -- usually in the plural.
      1913 webster

            his early endowments had fitted him for the work he
            was to do.                            --i. taylor.
      1913 webster

[2] : WordNet (r) 2.0

endowment
     n 1: natural qualities or talents syn: gift, talent, natural
          endowment
     2: the capital that provides income for an institution syn: endowment
        fund
     3: the act of endowing with a permanent source of income; "his
        generous endowment of the laboratory came just in the nick
        of time"
see also:
gift talent natural endowment endowment fund 

[3] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

174 moby thesaurus words for "endowment":
   altmann theory, dna, de vries theory, galtonian theory,
   mendelianism, mendelism, rna, tlc, verworn theory, weismann theory,
   weismannism, wiesner theory, abilities, ability, accommodation,
   accordance, accouterment, allele, allelomorph, allotment,
   allowance, appanage, aptitudes, armament, attributes, award,
   awarding, bequest, bestowal, bestowment, birth, bread, bump,
   caliber, capabilities, capability, capacities, capacity, care,
   catering, chandlery, character, characteristics, chromatid,
   chromatin, chromosome, communication, concession, conferment,
   conferral, contribution, daily bread, deliverance, delivery,
   determinant, determiner, diathesis, donation, dot, dower, dowry,
   economic support, empowerment, enablement, endowments, equipment,
   eugenics, factor, faculty, finding, fitting out, flair, forte,
   foundation, furnishing, furnishment, gene, genesiology,
   genetic code, genetics, genius, gift, gifting, gifts, giving,
   grant, granting, hereditability, heredity, heritability, heritage,
   impartation, impartment, inborn capacity, inheritability,
   inheritance, instinct, investiture, investment, jointure, keep,
   legal jointure, liberality, livelihood, living, logistics,
   long suit, maintenance, makings, manna, marriage portion,
   matrocliny, meat, metier, mothering, natural endowment,
   natural gift, nourishment, nurture, offer, outfitting, parts,
   patrocliny, pharmacogenetics, portion, potential, power, powers,
   preparation, present, presentation, presentment, price support,
   procurement, properties, providing, provision, provisioning,
   purveyance, qualification, recessive character, reinforcement,
   replenishment, replication, resupply, retailing, selling,
   settlement, speciality, strengths, strong flair, strong point,
   subscription, subsidization, subsidy, subsistence, subvention,
   supply, supplying, support, surrender, sustainment, sustenance,
   sustentation, talent, talents, tender loving care, the goods,
   the stuff, thirds, upkeep, victualing, vouchsafement,
   what it takes

[4] : Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)

endowment. the bestowing or assuring of a dower to a woman. it is sometimes 
used: metaphorically, for the setting a provision for a charitable 
institution, as the endowment of a hospital. 

Endowment >> E Words
Endowment, definition of term: Endowment
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Endowment Fund >> E Words
Endowment Fund, definition of term: Endowment Fund
endowment+fund_pag1.html