benevolence
noun/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 (“to wish”), components cognate to English benefit and voluntary, more distantly will (via Proto-Indo-European).
1
Disposition to do good.
- gesture of benevolence
- show benevolence
3 more examples
- spirit of benevolence
- She smiled with benevolence at the children.
- 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:
2
Charitable kindness.
- His acts of benevolence earned him great respect.
3
An altruistic gift or act.
4
UK, Historical A kind of forced loan or contribution levied by kings without legal authority, first so called under Edward IV in 1473.
- Antonyms
- malevolence
- Derived terms
- omnibenevolence, unbenevolence