beneficiary

[ ben-uh-fish-ee-er-ee, -fish-uh-ree ]

noun

, plural ben·e·fi·ci·ar·ies.

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.

beneficiary

/ 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

adjective

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

beneficiary

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

Other Words From

• preben·e·fici·ary noun plural prebeneficiaries

Word History and Origins

Origin of beneficiary¹

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

Example Sentences

That wouldn’t make much of a dent in the annual cost of Medicaid’s coverage of its 72 million beneficiaries, which came to about $853 billion last year.

From Los Angeles Times

Trump has focused less on answering those questions than on promising financial rewards to current beneficiaries through the aforementioned tax cuts.

From Salon

It may be a phased-out plan that keeps it for existing beneficiaries but replaces it with a private 401k plan for people younger than 50 or younger than 40.

From Salon

For both members of both parties, the successful allocation of funds is often rewarded with re-election by their beneficiaries.

From Salon

“Users are fleeing X, and Bluesky and Threads are the beneficiaries.”

From BBC

Related Words

• heir
• recipient