Etymology

benevolent

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Today it means: Having a disposition to do good. Full definition →

Old French benevolent ← Latin benevolēns
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The story

  1. Latin · borrowed frombenevolēns
  2. Old French · derived frombenevolent
  3. English todaybenevolent

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

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.