兩個單詞均有“遺贈”的含義。bequeath多指“動產(chǎn)遺贈” (especially to give personal property by will)，如：John bequeathed his shares to his nephew (約翰將其股份贈與了他的侄兒）。而devise則專門用于指“不動產(chǎn)遺贈”（to give real property by will)。應(yīng)注意的是此種傳統(tǒng)的區(qū)別現(xiàn)正在逐漸消失，如立遺囑人在遺囑中明文規(guī)定bequeath與devise同義，bequeath有時也可表示不動產(chǎn)遺贈（but sometimes of real property [1])。而美國的《統(tǒng)一遺囑檢驗法典》則用devise指所有的遺贈（The Uniform Probate Code uses devise to refer to any gifts made in a will[2]) 。

 

[1] Cf. Linda Picard Wood, J. D. Merriam Webster's Dictionary of Law, at p. 49， Merriam-Webster, Incorporated Springfield, Massachusetts (1996).

[2] Id. at p. 137.