Dictionary

benevolent en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Mid-Atlantic, US) audio
• /bəˈnɛvələnt/

Etymology

From Old French benevolent, borrowed from Latin benevolēns ("benevolent"). Displaced native Old English welwillende (literally well-wishing).

Meanings

1. Having a 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:
   • Chinese and Eastern mythologies describe dragons as benevolent.
2. Possessing or manifesting love for mankind.
3. Altruistic, charitable, good, just and fair.
   • This bill was not a gift from a benevolent legislature; it was a victory for the community which worked for its passage. 1989 December 24, Kevin M. Cathcart, “Homophobia Never Innocent”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 24, page 5:

Forms

Antonyms

malevolent

Deriveds

pseudobenevolent · benevolently · ecobenevolent · benevolentness · benevolent overlord · nonbenevolent · semibenevolent · unbenevolent · benevolent absolutism · omnibenevolent · superbenevolent · benevolent assimilation · benevolent dictator for life · ultrabenevolent

Relateds

benefactor · beneficent · well-wisher

Translations (94)

gl benevolente (having a disposition to do good) · nl welwillend (having a disposition to do good) · el καλοήθης (having a disposition to do good) · mi ngākau aroha (altruistic or charitable) · fi hyvänsuopa (having a disposition to do good) · ru благоскло́нный (having a disposition to do good) · de gütig (having a disposition to do good) · ru ми́лостивый (altruistic or charitable) · ko 상냥하다 (having a disposition to do good) · ru доброжела́тельный (having a disposition to do good) · ru великоду́шный (altruistic or charitable) · ca benèfic (altruistic or charitable) · ja 優しい (having a disposition to do good) · de gütig (altruistic or charitable) · fr bienveillant (having a disposition to do good) · de mildherzig (having a disposition to do good) · ka კეთილმოსურნე (having a disposition to do good) · de mildherzig (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · ckb دڵ سۆز (having a disposition to do good) · fi ihmisrakas (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · ml പരോപകാരി (having a disposition to do good) · de menschenfreundlich (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · de altruistisch (altruistic or charitable) · cmn 仁慈 (having a disposition to do good) · sa मैत्रेय (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · mk добронамерен (having a disposition to do good) · bg милости́в (altruistic or charitable) · de wohltätg (altruistic or charitable) · bg ще́дър (altruistic or charitable) · nb velmenende (having a disposition to do good) · bg благоразполо́жен (having a disposition to do good) · cmn 慈善 (having a disposition to do good) · bg благоскло́нен (having a disposition to do good) · bg човеколюби́в (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · tr diğerkâm (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · tr fedakâr (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · bg доброжела́телен (having a disposition to do good) · de gütig (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · da velvillig (having a disposition to do good) · th หวังดี (having a disposition to do good) · tr özgecil (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · tr fedakâr (altruistic or charitable) · ru благоду́шный (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · de wohlwollend (having a disposition to do good) · mi ngākau aroha (having a disposition to do good) · ru филантропи́ческий (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · es benevolente (having a disposition to do good) · ar خَيِّر (having a disposition to do good) · mi ngākau aroha (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · pt benevolente (having a disposition to do good) · es benévolo (having a disposition to do good) · fi altruistinen (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · ca benèvol (having a disposition to do good) · nl goedaardig (having a disposition to do good) · ro binevoitor (having a disposition to do good) · ko 자애롭다 (having a disposition to do good) · fa نیککامه (having a disposition to do good) · ru человеколюби́вый (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · fi altruistinen (altruistic or charitable) · eo bonfara (altruistic or charitable) · uk зичли́вий (having a disposition to do good) · ru благотвори́тельный (altruistic or charitable) · nl altruïstisch (altruistic or charitable) · ru благоскло́нный (altruistic or charitable) · sv välvillig (having a disposition to do good) · de altruistisch (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · fi hyväntahtoinen (having a disposition to do good) · sa मैत्रेय (having a disposition to do good) · tr iyiliksever (having a disposition to do good) · ru ми́лостивый (having a disposition to do good) · nb velvillig (having a disposition to do good) · de mildtätig (altruistic or charitable) · tr altruistik (altruistic or charitable) · be добразы́члівы (having a disposition to do good) · fa خیرخواه (having a disposition to do good) · uk доброзичли́вий (having a disposition to do good) · mk човеко́љубив (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · tr hayırsever (having a disposition to do good) · de wohlwollend (altruistic or charitable) · ru до́брый (having a disposition to do good) · ru благожела́тельный (having a disposition to do good) · ru ще́дрый (altruistic or charitable) · fi hyvänsuopainen (having a disposition to do good) · ang welwillende (having a disposition to do good) · nl liefdadig (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · bg добронаме́рен (having a disposition to do good) · ml പരോപകാരി (altruistic or charitable) · th หวังดี (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · ko 자애로운 (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · cmn 善良 (having a disposition to do good) · la benevolens (having a disposition to do good) · no menneskekjærlig (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · tr özgeci (possessing or manifesting love for mankind) · be зы́члівы (having a disposition to do good)