different between freedom vs benefit

English

Etymology

From Middle English fredom, freedom, from Old English fr?od?m (“freedom, state of free-will, charter, emancipation, deliverance”), from Proto-West Germanic *frijad?m (“freedom”). Equivalent to free +? -dom. Cognate with North Frisian fridoem (“freedom”), Dutch vrijdom (“freedom”), Low German fr?dom (“freedom”), Middle High German vr?tuom (“freedom”), Norwegian fridom (“freedom”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: fr?'d?m, IPA^(key): /?f?i?d?m/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?f?id?m/
• Hyphenation: free?dom

Noun

freedom (countable and uncountable, plural freedoms)

1. (uncountable) The state of being free, of not being imprisoned or enslaved.

2. (countable) The lack of a specific constraint, or of constraints in general; a state of being free, unconstrained.

3. Frankness; openness; unreservedness.
   • 1748, Samuel Richardson, Clarissa, Letter 50:

     I doubt not, that you will take amiss my freedom; but as you have deserved it from me, I shall be less and less concerned on that score, as I see you are more and more intent to show your wit at the expense of justice and compassion.

4. Improper familiarity; violation of the rules of decorum.

Usage notes

• Freedom from can be followed by various nouns, typically, fear, want, hunger, pain, hatred, disease, stress, depression, debt, poverty, necessity, violence, war, advertising, addiction, etc.

Synonyms

• liberty
• license
• exemption

Antonyms

• slavery
• imprisonment
• bondage
• constraint
• unfreedom

Derived terms

Translations

References

• freedom at OneLook Dictionary Search
• freedom in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
• freedom in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• fordeem

English

Alternative forms

• benefite (obsolete)

Etymology

From Late Middle English benefytt, benefett, alteration (due to Latin bene-) of benfet, bienfet, bienfait (“good or noble deed”), from Anglo-Norman benfet (“well-done”), Middle French bienfait, from Old French bienfet, bienfait (“foredeal, favour”), from past participle of bienfaire (“to do good, do well”), from bien (“well”) + faire (“to do”), modelled after Latin benefactum (“good deed”). More at benefactor.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?b?n.?.f?t/
• (US) enPR: b?n'?f?t, IPA^(key): /?b?n.?.f?t/

Noun

benefit (countable and uncountable, plural benefits)

1. An advantage; help or aid from something.
2. (insurance) A payment made in accordance with an insurance policy or a public assistance scheme.
3. An event such as a performance, given to raise funds for some cause.
4. (obsolete) beneficence; liberality
   • c. 1613, John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi

     What was it with such violence he
     On the wild benefit of nature live took Happier than we

5. Intended audience (as for the benefit of).

Synonyms

• (advantage, help): foredeal, advantage, aid, assistance, boon, help
• (payment): subsidy

Antonyms

• (advantage, help): harm, disadvantage, encumbrance, hindrance, nuisance, obstacle, detriment

Derived terms

• beneficial
• benefiter
• benifit (a misspelling)

Translations

See also

• lagniappe

Verb

benefit (third-person singular simple present benefits, present participle benefiting or benefitting, simple past and past participle benefited or benefitted)

1. (transitive) To be or to provide a benefit to.
2. (intransitive) To receive a benefit (from); to be a beneficiary.

Usage notes

• Benefiting and benefited are more common, with benefitting and benefitted being minor variants, especially in the US.

Synonyms

• help, batten, behoove

Antonyms

• malefic
• detriment

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from English benefit.

Noun

benefit m (invariable)

1. benefit, advantage

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /?be.ne.fit/, [?b?n?f?t?]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /?be.ne.fit/, [?b??n?fit?]

Verb

benefit

1. third-person singular present passive indicative of benefaci?