different between munificent vs beneficent

English

Etymology

Back-formation from munificence, from Latin m?nificentia.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, US) IPA^(key): /mju?n?f?sn?t/

Adjective

munificent (comparative more munificent, superlative most munificent)

1. (of a person or group) Very liberal in giving or bestowing.
   • 1859, Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, ch. 30:

     Tellson's Bank . . . was a munificent house, and extended great liberality to old customers who had fallen from their high estate.

   • 1974 April 8, "Politics: Milkmen Skimming Off More Cream," Time (retrieved 5 Sept 2013):

     [M]ilk producers are among the most munificent backers of political campaigns in the U.S.

   • 2008 March 20, Martin Filler, "Broad-Minded Museum," New York Review of Books (retrieved 5 Sept 2013):

     An exceptionally munificent benefactor of several institutions, he has given $100 million each to MIT and Harvard.

2. (of a gift, donation, etc.) Very generous; lavish.
   • 1886, Louisa May Alcott, Jo's Boys, ch. 1:

     On the hill, where kites used to be flown, stood the fine college which Mr Laurence's munificent legacy had built.

   • 1914, William MacLeod Raine, A Daughter of the Dons, ch. 25:

     It was all very well for this casual youth to make her a present of a half million acres of land in this debonair way, but she could not persuade herself to accept so munificent a gift.

   • 1969 April 11, "Business: Up, Up and Away with Wages," Time (retrieved 5 Sept 2013):

     The machinists finally agreed to a munificent increase averaging 5.7% a year for three years.

Synonyms

• bounteous, generous, liberal

Derived terms

• munificently

Related terms

Translations

Dutch

Etymology

From Latin munificus, munificens (“liberal”), from munus (“gift”) + facio (“I make”).

Adjective

munificent (comparative munificenter, superlative munificentst)

1. generous

Inflection

Synonyms

• (generous): genereus, gul, goedgeefs, vrijgevig, royaal

Romanian

Etymology

From French munificent

Adjective

munificent m or n (feminine singular munificent?, masculine plural munificen?i, feminine and neuter plural munificente)

1. munificent

Declension

English

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

• (US) IPA^(key): /b??n?f.?.s?nt/

Adjective

beneficent (comparative more beneficent, superlative most beneficent)

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

Synonyms

• generous
• beneficient

Antonyms

• maleficent

Related terms

• benefactor
• beneficial
• magnificent
• munificent

Translations