beneficent

English

Alternative forms

• beneficient (sometimes proscribed)

Etymology

From Latin *beneficens, *beneficent-, from bene (“well, good”) + -ficens, combining form from faciens, present participle of facere (“to make or do”). Compare English beneficence.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /bəˈnɛ.fɪ.sənt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /bəˈnɛ.fə.sənt/

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

Adjective

beneficent (comparative more beneficent, superlative most beneficent)

1. Given to acts that are kind, charitable, philanthropic or beneficial.

   Antonyms: maleficent, maleficient, malevolent, malicious, evil; see also Thesaurus:evil

   Near-synonyms: benevolent, generous, magnanimous

   beneficent spirit

   beneficent influence

   beneficent ruler

   The monk was remembered as a beneficent figure in the village.

Derived terms

• beneficently
• unbeneficent

Related terms

• benefactor
• beneficence
• beneficial
• benefit
• benevolence
• benevolent
• magnificent
• munificent

Translations

Translations

• Altai:

  Northern Altai: пиийанныг (piiyannïg)

• Arabic: رَحِيم (raḥīm), مُحْسِن (muḥsin), مُتَصَدِّق (mutaṣaddiq)
• Bulgarian: благодетелен (bg) (blagodetelen)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 仁慈 (zh) (réncí), 慈善 (zh) (císhàn), 善行 (zh) (shànxíng)

• Finnish: hyvää tekevä
• French: miséricordieux (fr) m, bienfaisant (fr)
• German: wohltätig (de), mildtätig (de)
• Greek: αγαθοποιός (el) (agathopoiós)

  Ancient Greek: ἀγαθοποιός (agathopoiós)

• Japanese: 慈悲深い (ja) (じひぶかい, jihibukai), 情け深い (ja) (なさけぶかい, nasakebukai), 奇特な (ja) (きどくな, kidoku-na)
• Latin: beneficus
• Persian: نیکوکار (fa) (nikukâr), سودبخش (fa) (sudbaxš)
• Portuguese: beneficente (pt)
• Romanian: binefăcător (ro)
• Russian: ми́лостивый (ru) (mílostivyj), благоде́тельный (ru) (blagodételʹnyj)
• Spanish: benéfico (es), benefactor (es), bienhechor (es)
• Ukrainian: благотво́рний (uk) (blahotvórnyj)