benevolence
See also: bénévolence
English
Etymology
Circa 1400, original sense “good will, disposition to do good”, Old French benivolence from Latin benevolentia (also directly from Latin), literally “good will”, from bene (“well, good”) + volentia, form of volēns, form of volō (“I wish”), components cognate to English benefit and voluntary, more distantly will (via Proto-Indo-European).[1]
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /bəˈnɛvələns/
Audio (Southern England) (file) Audio (Mid-Atlantic) (file)
Noun
benevolence (countable and uncountable, plural benevolences)
- (uncountable) Disposition to do good.
- (uncountable) Charitable kindness.
- (countable) An altruistic gift or act.
- (UK, historical) A kind of forced loan or contribution levied by kings without legal authority, first so called under Edward IV in 1473.
Antonyms
Related terms
English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *welh₁- (0 c, 15 e)
Translations
disposition to do good
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charitable kindness
|
altruistic gift or act
References
- Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “benevolence”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
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