Dictionary

goodwiller en · NOUN

Etymology

Perhaps an alteration of goodwilly, or from goodwill + -er.

Meanings

1. One who practices or engages in goodwill, or who acts out of goodwill; one who bestows favours; a benefactor; volunteer
   • “The Earl of Douglas, being a young nobleman of good inclination, wiser perchance than any other of equal age with him, would neither give ear to his goodwillers and favourers, nor yet was he content with them that gave the counsel to turn homeward again, but reprove them highly; [...] 1808, John Finlay, Scottish Historical and Romantic ballads:
   • Outnumbered by earnest goodwillers, he agrees to visit the Queen. 2013, Susann Cokal, The Kingdom of Little Wounds - Page 106:
   • Curiosity wasn't a goodwiller in that it tried to consume him completely. 2012, Thomas D. Bryson, The Psychotic Preschoolers - Page 64:
   • And yet...and yet, the goodwillers cried, something was being misunderstood: Humanity was surely better than this! No! [...] 2014, George Zebrowski, Brute Orbits:
   • It appears by the testimony in a suit in 1619, that John Gale, son of Richard, was in 1677, "a goodwiller" to the daughter of Henry Spring, senior, who, with his wife Mehitable, testified that " Goodman Richard Gale came to our house to ask our goodwill to make a match … 1864, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register

Forms