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 US):(file)

Noun

benevolence (countable and uncountable, plural benevolences)

  1. (uncountable) Disposition to do good.
    gesture of benevolence
    show benevolence
    spirit of benevolence
    She smiled with benevolence at the children.
  2. (uncountable) Charitable kindness.
    His acts of benevolence earned him great respect.
  3. (countable) An altruistic gift or act.
  4. (UK, historical) A kind of forced loan or contribution levied by kings without legal authority, first so called under Edward IV in 1473.

Antonyms

Derived terms

English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *welh₁- (0 c, 16 e)

Translations

References

  1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2025), “benevolence”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
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