benevolence en · NOUN
Pronunciation
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 (“to wish”), components cognate to English benefit and voluntary, more distantly will (via Proto-Indo-European).
Meanings
-
(uncountable) Disposition to do good.
Benevolence? vvhich ſhall I be benevolent to; or vvhich firſt? I am puſſell'd in the choice.
1641 or 1642 (first performance), Richard Brome, A Joviall Crew: Or, The Merry Beggars. Presented in a Comedie, […], London: […] J[ames] Y[oung] for E[dward] D[od] and N[athaniel] E[kins] […], published 1652, →OCLC, Act III, signature [H4], recto:spirit of benevolence
gesture of benevolence
She smiled with benevolence at the children.
show benevolence
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(uncountable) Charitable kindness.
His acts of benevolence earned him great respect.
- (countable) An altruistic gift or act.
- (UK, countable, historical, uncountable) A kind of forced loan or contribution levied by kings without legal authority, first so called under Edward IV in 1473.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| benevolences | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
omnibenevolence · unbenevolence
Translations (54)
el αγαθοεργία (charitable kindness) · el καλοσύνη (disposition to do good) · tr himmet (disposition to do good) · de Gutmütigkeit (disposition to do good) · pt benevolência (disposition to do good) · tr iyilikseverlik (disposition to do good) · da velvilje (disposition to do good) · hi हितेच्छा (disposition to do good) · ru доброжела́тельность (disposition to do good) · ru благожела́тельность (disposition to do good) · hi हितैषिता (disposition to do good) · is örlæti (disposition to do good) · es benevolencia (disposition to do good) · ar النزعَة إلى الخير (disposition to do good) · hu jótékonyság (charitable kindness) · cmn 仁慈 (disposition to do good) · bg доброжела́телност (disposition to do good) · ota مساعده (altruistic gift or act) · pl łaskawość (disposition to do good) · pl życzliwość (disposition to do good) · mk доброна́мерност (disposition to do good) · fi hyväntahtoisuus (disposition to do good) · ang welwillendnes (disposition to do good) · ro bunăvoință (disposition to do good) · fi anteliaisuus (charitable kindness) · fr bienveillance (disposition to do good) · de Mildherzigkeit (disposition to do good) · la benevolentia (disposition to do good) · io bonvolo (disposition to do good) · pl przychylność (disposition to do good) · pl dobroć (disposition to do good) · nl goede wil (disposition to do good) · hu jóindulat (disposition to do good) · uk зичли́вість (disposition to do good) · cmn 仁 (disposition to do good) · ga dea-mhéin (disposition to do good) · grc φιλανθρωπία (disposition to do good) · ja 慈悲 (disposition to do good) · sv välvilja (disposition to do good) · uk доброзичли́вість (disposition to do good) · fr bénévolence (disposition to do good) · tr yardımseverlik (disposition to do good) · nl gulheid (disposition to do good) · gl largueza (disposition to do good) · ru ми́лость (disposition to do good) · ca benevolència (disposition to do good) · cmn 慈悲 (disposition to do good) · nl welwillendheid (disposition to do good) · ja 仁 (disposition to do good) · tr esirgemezlik (disposition to do good) · pl benewolencja (disposition to do good) · tr hayırseverlik (disposition to do good) · ru доброта́ (disposition to do good) · mk благонакло́нетост (disposition to do good)