benefactor

ben·e·fac·tor
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UK/ˈbɛnəˌfæktəː/UK[ˈbɛnəˌfæktʰəː]Canadian, US, Standard/ˈbɛnəˌfæktɚ/Canadian, US, Standard[ˈbɛnəˌfæktʰɚ] ~ [ˈbɛnəˌfæktʰɹ̩]

noun

Somebody who gives a gift, often money to a charity.

“chief benefactor”

Similar
helper
OriginMiddle English benefactor ← Medieval Latin benefactor ← Latin benefaciō →
Less commonScrabble 17
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Meanings

nounbenefactor (plural benefactors)

plural benefactors · alternative obsolete benefactour

  1. Somebody who gives a gift, often money to a charity.

    chief benefactor

    3 more examples

    anonymous benefactor

    generous benefactor

    The orphanage was supported by a generous benefactor.

  2. Someone who performs good or noble deeds.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna person who helps people or institutions (especially with financial help)

Similar
helper
Broader
good person
Also see
helperhumanitarian

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinbenefaciō“benefit someone”
  2. Medieval Latinbenefactor“he who bestows a favor”
  3. Middle Englishbenefactor
  4. Englishbenefactor

From Middle English benefactor, borrowed from Medieval Latin benefactor (“he who bestows a favor”), from Latin benefaciō (“benefit someone”), from bene (“good”) + faciō (“do, make”).

More words from Middle English, Medieval Latin, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans weldoener
  • weldoeneron who gives gifts or help
Ancient Greek εὐεργέτης
  • εὐεργέτης (euergétēs)on who gives gifts or help
Arabic مُتَبَرِّع
  • مُتَبَرِّع (mutabarriʕ)on who gives gifts or help
Bulgarian благотвори́тел, благотвори́телка
  • благотвори́тел (blagotvorítel)on who gives gifts or help
  • благотвори́телка (blagotvorítelka)on who gives gifts or help
  • благоде́тел (blagodétel)on who gives gifts or help
  • благоде́телка (blagodételka)on who gives gifts or help
Catalan benefactor
  • benefactoron who gives gifts or help
Chinese Mandarin 恩人
  • 恩人 (ēnrén)on who gives gifts or help
Czech dobrodinec
  • dobrodinecon who gives gifts or help
Danish velgører
  • velgøreron who gives gifts or help
Dutch weldoener, weldoenster
  • weldoeneron who gives gifts or help
  • weldoensteron who gives gifts or help
Esperanto bonfaranto
  • bonfarantoon who gives gifts or help
Estonian heategija
  • heategijaon who gives gifts or help
Finnish hyväntekijä, lahjoittaja
  • hyväntekijäon who gives gifts or help
  • lahjoittajaon who gives gifts or help
French bienfaiteur, bienfaitrice
  • bienfaiteuron who gives gifts or help
  • bienfaitriceon who gives gifts or help
German Wohltäter, Wohltäterin
  • Wohltäteron who gives gifts or help
  • Wohltäterinon who gives gifts or help
  • Benefaktoron who gives gifts or help
Greek ευεργέτης, δωρητής
  • ευεργέτης (evergétis)on who gives gifts or help
  • δωρητής (doritís)on who gives gifts or help
Hungarian jótevő
  • jótevőon who gives gifts or help
Italian benefattore, benefattrice
  • benefattoreon who gives gifts or help
  • benefattriceon who gives gifts or help
Japanese 恩人
  • 恩人 (onjin)on who gives gifts or help
Korean 은인
  • 은인 (eunin)on who gives gifts or help
Latin benefactor
  • benefactoron who gives gifts or help
Latvian labdaris
  • labdarison who gives gifts or help
Lithuanian geradarys
  • geradaryson who gives gifts or help
Māori kaitautoko, kaioha
  • kaitautokoon who gives gifts or help
  • kaiohaon who gives gifts or help
Norwegian Bokmål velgjører
  • velgjøreron who gives gifts or help
Persian نیکوکار, کرفهگر
  • نیکوکار (nikukâr)on who gives gifts or help
  • کرفهگر (kerfe-gar)on who gives gifts or help
Polish dobroczyńca, ofiarodawca
  • dobroczyńcaon who gives gifts or help
  • ofiarodawcaon who gives gifts or help
  • ofiarodawczynion who gives gifts or help
  • benefaktoron who gives gifts or help
  • benefaktorkaon who gives gifts or help
Portuguese benfeitor
  • benfeitoron who gives gifts or help
Romanian binefăcător, binefăcătoare
  • binefăcătoron who gives gifts or help
  • binefăcătoareon who gives gifts or help
Russian благоде́тель, благоде́тельница
  • благоде́тель (blagodételʹ)on who gives gifts or help
  • благоде́тельница (blagodételʹnica)on who gives gifts or help
  • благотвори́тель (blagotvorítelʹ)on who gives gifts or help
  • благотвори́тельница (blagotvorítelʹnica)on who gives gifts or help
Slovak dobrodinec
  • dobrodinecon who gives gifts or help
Spanish bienhechor, benefactor
  • bienhechoron who gives gifts or help
  • benefactoron who gives gifts or help
  • bienfechoron who gives gifts or help
Swedish välgörare
  • välgörareon who gives gifts or help
Thai ผู้อุปถัมภ์, ผู้อุปการะ
  • ผู้อุปถัมภ์on who gives gifts or help
  • ผู้อุปการะon who gives gifts or help
Turkish hayırsever
  • hayırseveron who gives gifts or help
Ukrainian благоді́йник, благоді́йниця
  • благоді́йник (blahodíjnyk)on who gives gifts or help
  • благоді́йниця (blahodíjnycja)on who gives gifts or help
  • доброчи́нець (dobročýnecʹ)on who gives gifts or help
  • доброді́йник (dobrodíjnyk)on who gives gifts or help
  • доброді́йниця (dobrodíjnycja)on who gives gifts or help
  • доброді́й (dobrodíj)on who gives gifts or help
  • доброді́йка (dobrodíjka)on who gives gifts or help
Vietnamese ân nhân
  • ân nhânon who gives gifts or help
Welsh cymwynaswr, cymwynaswraig
  • cymwynaswron who gives gifts or help
  • cymwynaswraigon who gives gifts or help
Cite this entry
APA

benefactor. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/benefactor

MLA

“benefactor.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/benefactor. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “benefactor,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/benefactor.

Source: benefactor on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.