Dictionary

benefactress en · NOUN

Etymology

Etymology tree English benefactor Late Latin -issader. Old French -essebor. Middle English -esse English -ess English benefactress From benefactor + -ess.

Meanings

1. (dated) A female benefactor.
   • Oh! youthful benefactress! how often in succeeding years, standing in solitary places, and thinking of thee with grief of heart and perfect love, how often have I wished that, as in ancient times the curse of a father was believed to have a supernatural power, and to pursue its object with a fatal necessity of self-fulfilment,—even so the benediction of a heart oppressed with gratitude, might have a like prerogative; might have power given to it from above to chase—to haunt—to way-lay—to overtake—to pursue thee into the central darkness of a London brothel, or (if it were possible) into the darkness of the grave—there to awaken thee with an authentic message of peace and forgiveness, and of final reconciliation! 1821 September–October, [Thomas De Quincey], “[Part I.] Preliminary Confessions.”, in Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, 2nd edition, London: […] [J. Moyes] for Taylor and Hessey, […], published 1823, →OCLC, pages 52–53:

Forms

Translations (8)

kmr xêrkar (female benefactor) · ar مُتَبَرِّعَة (female benefactor) · nl weldoenster (female benefactor) · de Wohltäterin (female benefactor) · ar مُتَطَوِّعَة (female benefactor) · grc εὐεργέτῐς (female benefactor) · pl dobrodziejka (female benefactor) · ar مُحْسِنَة (female benefactor)