Dictionary

munificent en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /mjuˈnɪfɪsn̩t/ (Received-Pronunciation, US)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Back-formation from munificence, from Latin mūnificentia.

Meanings

1. (of a person or group) Very liberal in giving or bestowing.
   • Munificent as he was in his own disposition in the conferring of favours, his acceptance, under the circumstances we have described, of the fortune bestowed by Robert, he found upon reasoning with himself to be perfectly consistent with the most scrupulous principles of uprightness and probity:[…] 1838, [Letitia Elizabeth] Landon (indicated as editor), chapter XXI, in Duty and Inclination: […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 272:
   • [M]ilk producers are among the most munificent backers of political campaigns in the U.S. 1974 April 8, “Politics: Milkmen Skimming Off More Cream”, in Time, retrieved 05 Sep 2013:
   • Tellson's Bank […] was a munificent house, and extended great liberality to old customers who had fallen from their high estate. 1859, Charles Dickens, chapter 30, in A Tale of Two Cities:
   • An exceptionally munificent benefactor of several institutions, he has given $100 million each to MIT and Harvard. 2008 March 20, Martin Filler, “Broad-Minded Museum”, in New York Review of Books, retrieved 05 Sep 2013:
2. (of a gift, qualifier:donation, usually) Very generous; lavish.
   • It was all very well for this casual youth to make her a present of a half million acres of land in this debonair way, but she could not persuade herself to accept so munificent a gift. 1914, William MacLeod Raine, chapter 25, in A Daughter of the Donss:
   • The machinists finally agreed to a munificent increase averaging 5.7% a year for three years. 1969 April 11, “Business: Up, Up and Away with Wages”, in Time, retrieved 05 Sep 2013:
   • On the hill, where kites used to be flown, stood the fine college which Mr Laurence's munificent legacy had built. 1886, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, chapter 1, in Jo’s Boys, and How They Turned Out. A Sequel to “Little Men.”, Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

unmunificent · munificently

Relateds

munificence · municipal · municipality · remunerate · remuneration

Synonyms

bounteous · liberal · generous

Translations (50)

yue 厚重 ((of a gift, donation, etc.) very generous; lavish) · nl genereus ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · uk щедрий ((of a gift, donation, etc.) very generous; lavish) · fi antelias ((of a gift, donation, etc.) very generous; lavish) · nb generøs ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · sv frikostig ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · es generoso ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · pl hojny ((of a gift, donation, etc.) very generous; lavish) · pl szczodry ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · fi avokätinen ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · mi ngākau oha ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · fi antelias ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · de großzügig ((of a gift, donation, etc.) very generous; lavish) · ko 후하다 ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · nb generøs ((of a gift, donation, etc.) very generous; lavish) · fi avokätinen ((of a gift, donation, etc.) very generous; lavish) · cs velkorysý ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · pl szczodry ((of a gift, donation, etc.) very generous; lavish) · es dadivoso ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · bg разточителен ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · uk щедрий ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · ko 후하다 ((of a gift, donation, etc.) very generous; lavish) · nb overdådig ((of a gift, donation, etc.) very generous; lavish) · ota كریم ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · es desprendido ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · ru ще́дрый ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · cmn 厚重 ((of a gift, donation, etc.) very generous; lavish) · nl vrijgevig ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · id dermawan ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · ota جومرد ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · nb raus ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · cs velkorysý ((of a gift, donation, etc.) very generous; lavish) · bg щедър ((of a gift, donation, etc.) very generous; lavish) · hi दानवीर ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · sv givmild ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · es munificente ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · de freigebig ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · sv generös ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · nn raus ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · nl goedgeefs ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · nb raus ((of a gift, donation, etc.) very generous; lavish) · nl gul ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · cs velkomyslný ((of a gift, donation, etc.) very generous; lavish) · bg да́шен ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · cs velkomyslný ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · nb rundhåndet ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · hy առատաձեռն ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · it munifico ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · pl hojny ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing) · nl munificent ((of a person or group) very liberal in giving or bestowing)