beneficiary

American  

[ben-uh-fish-ee-er-ee, -fish-uh-ree] / ˌbɛn əˈfɪʃ iˌɛr i, -ˈfɪʃ ə ri /

noun

plural

beneficiaries

1. a person or group that receives benefits, profits, or advantages.

2. a person designated as the recipient of funds or other property under a will, trust, insurance policy, etc.

3. Ecclesiastical. the holder of a benefice.

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beneficiary British  

/ ˌbɛnɪˈfɪʃərɪ /

noun

1. a person who gains or benefits in some way from something

2. law a person entitled to receive funds or other property under a trust, will, or insurance policy

3. the holder of an ecclesiastical or other benefice

4. a person who receives government assistance

   social security beneficiary

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adjective

1. of or relating to a benefice or the holder of a benefice

beneficiary Cultural  

1. The recipient of funds, property, or other benefits from an insurance policy, will, trust, or other settlement.

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Other Word Forms

• prebeneficiary noun

Etymology

Origin of beneficiary

First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin beneficiārius, from benefici(um) benefice + -ārius -ary

Example Sentences

Asia has been a major beneficiary of the investment wave.

From The Wall Street Journal

Medicare, which has nearly 63 million beneficiaries covered under parts A and B, highlights these rising costs and the impacts they have on retirees.

From MarketWatch

It also has become a leading supplier of high-bandwidth memory for AI servers, making it a secondary beneficiary of the AI boom.

From Barron's

“It’s important for all beneficiaries to understand that they have a right to reasonable information regardless of whether it is presented in the form of an accounting,” it adds.

From MarketWatch

Banks were early beneficiaries of the development, rising strongly across the continent.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• heir
• recipient