兩個單詞均有“遺贈”的含義。bequeath多指“動產遺贈” (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“不動產遺贈”(to give real property by will)。應注意的是此種傳統的區(qū)別現正在逐漸消失,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遺贈(but sometimes of real property [1])。而美國的《統一遺囑檢驗法典》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.