benevolent
English · Thesaurus
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benevolent
- /bəˈnɛvələnt/
Where it comes from
From Old French benevolent, borrowed from Latin benevolēns ("benevolent"). Displaced native Old English welwillende (literally well-wishing).
adjective more benevolent · most benevolent
- Having a disposition to do good. Chinese and Eastern mythologies describe dragons as benevolent.
- Possessing or manifesting love for mankind.
- Altruistic, charitable, good, just and fair. This bill was not a gift from a benevolent legislature; it was a victory for the community which worked for its passage.
Opposite: malevolent
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: good-hearted, kindly, generous, gracious, openhearted, beneficent, good, charitable, philanthropic, eleemosynary, freehearted, kind, well-intentioned, well-meaning, benevolence, kindness
adjective
Opposite: malevolent
Translations
Every language
adj having a disposition to do good
| Español | benevolente, benévolo |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 자애롭다 jaaeropda, 상냥하다 sangnyanghada |
| 日本語 | 優しい yasashii |
| 中文 | 仁慈 réncí, 慈善 císhàn, 善良 shànliáng |
| Português | benevolente |
| Français | bienveillant |
| Deutsch | wohlwollend, mildherzig, gütig |
| Ελληνικά | καλοήθης kaloḯthis |
| Română | binevoitor |
| Русский | благожела́тельный blagoželátelʹnyj, доброжела́тельный dobroželátelʹnyj, благоскло́нный blagosklónnyj, до́брый dóbryj, ми́лостивый mílostivyj |
| العربية | خَيِّر ḵayyir |
adj possessing or manifesting love for mankind
| 한국어 | 자애로운 jaaeroun |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | altruistisch, menschenfreundlich, mildherzig, gütig |
| Русский | благоду́шный blagodúšnyj, филантропи́ческий filantropíčeskij, человеколюби́вый čelovekoljubívyj |
adj altruistic or charitable
| Deutsch | altruistisch, wohlwollend, wohltätg, gütig, mildtätig |
|---|---|
| Русский | благотвори́тельный blagotvorítelʹnyj, ми́лостивый mílostivyj, благоскло́нный blagosklónnyj, великоду́шный velikodúšnyj, ще́дрый ščédryj |
Talk about this word "benevolent." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/benevolent. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. benevolent. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/benevolent "benevolent." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/benevolent.Cite this
@misc{benevolent_2026,
title = {benevolent},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/benevolent},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
