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benedict

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benedict¹

Where it comes from

From Benedicke (normalized to the usual spelling, Benedict), a character in William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing (1598).

noun benedicts

  1. rare A newly married man, especially one who was previously a confirmed bachelor. The benedict, drearily superfluous to the festivities, had hardly been noticed by her as he lurked about the walls and sought what entertainment was possible to one under the social disabilities of matrimony.

benedict²

Where it comes from

From Latin benedictus, past participle of benedicere (“to bless”). See benison. Doublet of bennet.

adjective more benedict · most benedict

  1. obsolete Having mild and salubrious qualities. And it is not a ſmall thing won in Phyſick, if you can make rhubarb, and other medicines that are benedict, as ſtrong purgers, as thoſe that are not without ſome malignity.

verb benedicts · benedicting · benedicted

  1. rare to bless. Now, dis explanation o' de rose dance ain't on my own account, for I des' now tol' yer dat, so far as I'm concerned, it wouldn't make no diff'ence to me if I'd 'a' been requi'ed to go to hell for her — I'd 'a' went — in joy — for de fulfilment o' de love which Gord A'mighty done benedicted my heart

    Opposite: maledict

  2. of eggs To poach and serve on an English muffin with ham or bacon and hollandaise sauce. His pancakes were never just ordinary pancakes: they were airy creations mushroomed in sauce, or they were crepes suzette. Eggs were shirred, mornayed or benedicted.

Benedict³

  • /ˈbɛnədɪkt/

Where it comes from

From Saint Benedict, founder of the Benedictine Order, from Late Latin Benedictus, from benedictus (“blessed, well spoken of”), from Latin benedīcō (“to bless, to speak well of”). Doublet of Bennett, Benoit, and Benito.

proper noun Benedicts · Bene't

  1. countable A male given name from Latin, particularly of the sixth-century founder of the Benedictine order, and of several popes.
  2. countable A surname originating as a patronymic.
  3. countable, uncountable A minor city in Wilson County, Kansas, United States, named after S. S. Benedict.
  4. countable, uncountable A census-designated place in Maryland, United States.
  5. countable, uncountable A village in Nebraska, United States.
  6. countable, uncountable A city and village in North Dakota, United States.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: benedick, saint benedict, nathan, horace, augustin, bento, tess, rubin, benito, benoit, roth, benedicto, benedek, benedetto, benedikt, fehling

Translations

Every language

name equivalent patronymic surname

FrançaisBenoît

name equivalent male given name

EspañolBenedicto, Benito, Benicio
한국어베네딕토 Benedikto
日本語ベネディクト Benedikuto
中文本尼迪克特, 本篤 /本笃 Běndú
PortuguêsBenedito, Bento
FrançaisBenoît
DeutschBenedikt
ItalianoBenedetto, Benito
ΕλληνικάΒενέδικτος Venédiktos
RomânăBenedict
РусскийВенедикт Venedikt
Tiếng ViệtBiển Đức, Bênêđictô

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MLA

"benedict." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/benedict. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

benedict. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/benedict

Chicago

"benedict." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/benedict.

BibTeX
@misc{benedict_2026,
  title = {benedict},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/benedict},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}