Home › Student Life & Schooling › Greek Life & Fraternities/Sororities › legacy

legacy

LEG-uh-see /ˈlɛɡəsi/

nounB2SATGRETOEFL

formalneutral

In Greek life: a prospective member who is a relative (such as a child or sibling) of an alumnus or active member. Broadly: long-lasting heritage.

In recruitment, carrying legacy status often gives candidates special consideration during rush week invitations.

The story behind the word. Derived from Latin 'legare' (to send as an envoy or bequeath in a will), the word originally designated an official gift left in a testament, later expanding to include familial succession status in modern societies.

Word relationships

heritage: Heritage refers to historical culture passed down through generations, while legacy can refer specifically to an individual candidate's familial ties.

first-generation: First-generation refers to someone being the first in their family to attend college or join an institution.

Commonly confused with

alumnus: An alumnus is a graduate who was a past member, whereas a legacy is a current candidate related to an alumnus.

Collocations

legacy status
family legacy
legacy candidate
leave a legacy

Example sentences

"Because her mother and grandmother had both belonged to the chapter, she was considered a legacy candidate during recruitment." Greek life recruitment
"The founder left behind an enduring legacy of public service and charitable foundations." General history

Memory hook

LEGACY members carry the LEG-end of their family name. Family tradition in membership

When not to use

Do not use for a candidate with no family connections to the Greek organization.

Fun facts

While legacy status historically guaranteed an invitation, many modern national sororities and fraternities have eliminated automatic legacy privileges to foster equal opportunity.