benevolence

Meaning

1. (uncountable) Disposition to do good.
2. (uncountable) Charitable kindness.
3. (countable) An altruistic gift or act.
4. (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.

Synonyms

kindness

goodwill

philanthropy

mercy

charity

generosity

humanity

compassion

altruism

good will

favour

goodness

amicability

pity

liberality

kindheartedness

grace

love

❤️

benignance

well-wishing

humaneness

humanitarianism

magnanimity

benignancy

kindliness

benefaction

beneficence

charitableness

gracefulness

graciousness

unselfishness

clemency

Christian love of fellow men

beneficent

virtue

welfare

wisdom

right-hand side

well-meaning

tolerance

making merits and virtue

agape

bigheartedness

aid

assistance

benignity

bonhomie

bountifulness

bounty

complacency

Translations

benevolencia

bénévolence

bienveillance

Wohlwollen

benevolência

Barmherzigkeit

benevolenza

benevolentia

Wohltätigkeit

charité

welwillendheid

Güte

benevolència

caridade

Menschenliebe

Pronounced as (IPA)

/bəˈnɛvələns/

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 (“I wish”), components cognate to English benefit and voluntary, more distantly will (via Proto-Indo-European).