In Computing, Legacy Is Not a Compliment
A legacy is something handed down. Technology uses the word for old systems still in service, and rarely with affection.
A legacy is something left in a will, or handed down from the past. Computing gave it an edge: a *legacy system* is one still in use but outdated, expensive to maintain and difficult to replace. The word implies inheritance in the least welcome sense — something you did not choose and cannot easily get rid of.
- Something left in a will. *A generous legacy.*
- Something handed down. *A cultural legacy.*
- An outdated system. *A legacy database.*
- Legacy as a modifier. *Legacy code.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | legacy | A lasting legacy. |
| Plural | legacies | Several legacies. |
| Related | legate | A papal legate. |
| Related | delegate | A union delegate. |
| Related | bequest | A charitable bequest. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The legacy system runs the payroll.Old but essential.
- She left a legacy to the college.A bequest.
- A legate is an official sent with authority.Same root: sending.
Words from *legare*, to send or bequeath
- Legacy — something bequeathed
- Legate — an envoy sent with authority
- Delegate — one sent in another's place
- Relegate — to send back or down
- Colleague — one chosen or sent alongside
From Medieval Latin *legatia*, from Latin *legare*, to bequeath or send as a deputy. The computing sense dates from the 1980s.
Why is legacy negative in computing?
Because it describes systems inherited from earlier decisions: still needed, poorly documented, and expensive to replace.
Legacy or bequest?
A bequest is usually of personal property; legacy is broader and covers anything handed down, including non-material things.