bestow means an act of presenting a thing to someone or something, especially as a gift or an honour; a bestowal.
bestow is pronounced /bɪˈstəʊ/.
Why “bestow” is a great word
To confer or present something as a gift or honor, deliberately and formally. From Middle English *bestowen*, from *be-* (an intensifying prefix) + *stowen* ("to place"), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-* ("to stand, to place"), first attested in the early 14th century. Unlike "donate," which often anonymizes the giver into an institution, or "afford," which suggests a casual provision, to bestow is a transitive act of grace that confers dignity upon both object and recipient. It is the heavy weight of a ceremonial sword laid upon a shoulder, the quiet slide of a family ring onto a finger, or the deliberate naming of a prize upon its winner—a conscious planting of value in another's keeping, making a gift a monument.
Etymology
The verb is derived from Middle English bestowen, bistouen, bistowen (“to give, bestow; to apply (something to something else); to arrange or have control over (something); to place (someone) in a position; to use (for some purpose); (reflexive) to find (oneself) a place to live or shelter”) [and other forms], from bi- (prefix forming verbs, often with a completive, figurative, or intensive meaning) + stouen, stowen (“to pack (cargo) in a ship, stow; to place (someone) in a certain position; to provide quarters for, lodge; etc.”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to place; to stand (up)”)). The English word is analysable as be- (intensifying prefix forming verbs) + stow (“to put (something) away in a suitable place; etc.”). The noun is derived from the verb.
noun
- An act of presenting a thing to someone or something, especially as a gift or an honour; a bestowal.
verb
- To apply or make use of (someone or something); to employ, to use.
- To apply or make use of (someone or something); to employ, to use.; To apply (money) for some purpose; to expend, to spend.
- To impart (something) gratuitously; to present (something) to someone or something, especially as a gift or an honour; to confer, to give, to accord; to render.e.g.“I bestow upon you the name of Peter.”
- To place or put (someone or something) somewhere or in a certain situation; to dispose of.
- To deposit (something) for safekeeping; to lay up (something) in store; to stow.
- To provide (someone or oneself) with accommodation; to find quarters for (someone or oneself); to lodge, to quarter.
- To behave or conduct (oneself); to acquit.
- To give (someone or oneself) in marriage.
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- begift 86% match — To entrust; endow. vs bestow →
- bestead 83% match — To help, assist. vs bestow →
- enfeoff 83% match — To transfer a fief to, to endow with a fief; to put (a person) in legal possession of a freehold interest. vs bestow →
- bequest 83% match — The act of bequeathing or leaving by will. vs bestow →
- deign 82% match — To consider it appropriate or worthy to do or give (something), often when it is seen as beneath one's dignity; to condescend, to vouchsafe. vs bestow →
- esteem 82% match — Assessment, estimation, or regard; especially; favourable estimation or regard. vs bestow →
- endue 82% match — Senses relating to covering or putting on.; Of a person or thing: to take on (a different form); to adopt, to assume. vs bestow →
- betoken 82% match — To signify by some visible object; show by signs or tokens. vs bestow →