Meanings
comparative more bounteous · superlative most bounteous · alternative obsolete bountious
- Inclined to be generous.
Which with a bounteous hand was kindly lent
c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 1842 more examples
Be bounteous at our Meale. Giue me thy hand, / Thou haſt bin rightly honeſt, ſo haſt thou […]
c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii], page 358, column 2Hail, univerſal Lord, be bounteous ſtill / To give us onely good; […]
1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC - usuallyLiberal or abundant.
“I’d like to say it’s not just bounteous privilege, but it is. People like Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, they’re incredibly cut off from the world. […]
2023 March 5, Miranda Sawyer, quoting Jason Williamson, “Sleaford Mods: ‘The UK is like a crazy golf course – all we’ve got left are landmarks’”, in The Guardian, →ISSN1 more example
“Your Grace may be well assured,” said the Friar, “that, with the grace of Saint Dunstan, I shall find the way of multiplying your most bounteous gift.”
1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, chapter XL, in Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 266 - Large.
The house came with a bounteous yard.
1 more example
He was a big man with a bounteous belly.
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectivegiven or giving freely
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Old Frenchbontios
- Middle Englishbountevous
- Englishbounteous
Inherited from Middle English bountevous, from Old French bontios; by surface analysis, bounty + ous.
More words from Middle English, Old French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian щедър, богат
- щедър (štedăr)inclined to be generous
- богат (bogat)(of a gift, etc.) liberal or abundant
- обилен (obilen)(of a gift, etc.) liberal or abundant
Czech štědrý, štědrý
- štědrýinclined to be generous
- štědrý(of a gift, etc.) liberal or abundant
- bohatý(of a gift, etc.) liberal or abundant
French généreux
- généreuxinclined to be generous
Hungarian bőkezű
- bőkezűinclined to be generous
Polish szczodry, hojny
- szczodryinclined to be generous
- hojnyinclined to be generous
- szczodry(of a gift, etc.) liberal or abundant
- hojny(of a gift, etc.) liberal or abundant
Spanish bondadoso
- bondadosoinclined to be generous
Cite this entry
bounteous. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bounteous
“bounteous.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bounteous. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bounteous,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bounteous.
Source: bounteous on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.