Meanings
comparative more beneficent · superlative most beneficent · alternative proscribed sometimes beneficient
- Given to acts that are kind, charitable, philanthropic or beneficial.
beneficent ruler
4 more examples
Near-synonyms: benevolent, generous, magnanimous
beneficent spirit
beneficent influence
The monk was remembered as a beneficent figure in the village.
Synonyms: benevolent, generous, magnanimous · Antonyms: maleficent, maleficient, malevolent, malicious, evil, abandoned, arrant, bad
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveGiven to acts that are kind, charitable, philanthropic or beneficial.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivegenerous in assistance to the poor
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latin*beneficens, *beneficent-
- Englishbeneficent
From Latin *beneficens, *beneficent-, from bene (“well, good”) + -ficens, combining form from faciens, present participle of facere (“to make or do”). Compare English beneficence.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ἀγαθοποιός
- ἀγαθοποιός (agathopoiós)Translations
Arabic رَحِيم, مُحْسِن
- رَحِيم (raḥīm)Translations
- مُحْسِن (muḥsin)Translations
- مُتَصَدِّق (mutaṣaddiq)Translations
Bulgarian благодетелен
- благодетелен (blagodetelen)Translations
Chinese Mandarin 仁慈, 慈善
- 仁慈 (réncí)Translations
- 慈善 (císhàn)Translations
- 善行 (shànxíng)Translations
Finnish hyvää tekevä
- hyvää tekeväTranslations
French miséricordieux, bienfaisant
- miséricordieuxTranslations
- bienfaisantTranslations
German wohltätig, mildtätig
- wohltätigTranslations
- mildtätigTranslations
Greek αγαθοποιός
- αγαθοποιός (agathopoiós)Translations
Japanese 慈悲深い, 情け深い
- 慈悲深い (jihibukai)Translations
- 情け深い (nasakebukai)Translations
- 奇特な (kidoku-na)Translations
Latin beneficus
- beneficusTranslations
Persian نیکوکار, سودبخش
- نیکوکار (nikukâr)Translations
- سودبخش (sudbaxš)Translations
Portuguese beneficente
- beneficenteTranslations
Romanian binefăcător
- binefăcătorTranslations
Russian ми́лостивый, благоде́тельный
- ми́лостивый (mílostivyj)Translations
- благоде́тельный (blagodételʹnyj)Translations
Spanish benéfico, benefactor
- benéficoTranslations
- benefactorTranslations
- bienhechorTranslations
Ukrainian благотво́рний
- благотво́рний (blahotvórnyj)Translations
Cite this entry
beneficent. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beneficent
“beneficent.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beneficent. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “beneficent,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beneficent.
Source: beneficent on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.