|
|
be·nev·o·lence
 benevolence
 |
|
- pronunciation:
- b
ne
v
lns
- features:
- Word Combinations (noun), Word Parts
| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
the inclination to act to the benefit of others; good will.
The shelter owes its existence to the benevolence of members of the community.The young volunteers were filled with benevolence toward their fellow man.The disaster inspired benevolence on the part thousands of citizens across the country.It was not out of benevolence that he helped them, but out of his own selfish aims.- synonyms:
- charity, good will, kindliness, philanthropy
- antonyms:
- barbarity, malevolence, malice, spite
- similar words:
- altruism, consideration, friendliness, goodness, graciousness, kindheartedness, kindness, unselfishness
|
| definition 2: |
an act of kindness or charity.
The old man's gift of funds for the new library was an unexpected benevolence.- synonyms:
- benefaction, kindliness, kindness, philanthropy
- similar words:
- charity, contribution, donation, favor, generosity, gift, munificence, present
|
| related words: |
compassion, good, mercy |
adjective + (n.)benevolence
conspicuous, dependent, disinterested, divine, imperial, paternal, ultimate
verb + (n.)benevolence
express, rely, view
(n.)benevolence
+ verb
extend
noun + (n.)benevolence
act, charity, circle, compassion, concept, existence, expression, grace, justice, myth, other, principle, smile, thanks, universalism, wisdom
|
The word benevolence
contains the following parts:
ben, bene, bon
Latin
root
that means good, well
  Example words:
benediction, benefactor, beneficent, beneficial, beneficiary, benefit, benevolence, benevolent, benign, bonbon, bonus, bounteous, bountiful, bounty
- synonyms:
- eu
- antonyms:
- mal, male
vol
Latin
root
that means wish, intention, will
Example words:
-ance, -ence, -ency, -ancy
Latin
noun-forming suffix
that means state, quality, or act of
More about this word part:
The suffix group -ance
, -ence
, -ency
, -ancy
attaches to verbs and Latin verb stems to create nouns. The suffix -ance
is usually attached to whole English words, whereas -ence
is usually attached to roots: compare eloquence
and acceptance
. For most nouns ending in -ance
, -ence
, -ency
, -ancy
, there is a correponsponding adjective form ending in -ant, -ent.
Example words:
absence, acceptance, accountancy, admittance, agency, ambiance, ambience, appetency, arrogance, ascendancy, attendance, audience, belligerency, benevolence, brilliancy, buoyancy, cadence, clemency, complacency, conference, confidence, consequence, conservancy, consistency, constancy, constituency, contingency, counterinsurgency, countertendency, currency, decency, deficiency, delinquency, dependency, despondency, difference, disappearance, discrepancy, disturbance, efficiency, eloquence, emergency, equivalency, excellency, exigency, expectancy, expediency, fluency, frequency, hesitancy, importance, incoherency, inconsistency, incumbency, indecency, independence, independency, inefficiency, infancy, insufficiency, insurgency, interagency, interdependency, itinerancy, latency, leniency, malfeasance, malignancy, mendicancy, nonbelligerency, nonemergency, occupancy, occurrence, patency, permanency, piquancy, poignancy, potency, preference, pregnancy, presidency, proficiency, pungency, redundancy, regency, remembrance, residence, residency, science, solvency, stringency, subagency, sufficiency, superefficiency, superintendency, tenancy, tendency, transparency, urgency, vacancy, vagrancy
|