generous

[ jen-er-uhs ]

adjective

1. liberal in giving or sharing; unselfish: a generous gift.

   a generous patron of the arts;

   a generous gift.

   Synonyms: free, openhanded

   Antonyms: selfish

2. free from meanness or smallness of mind or character; magnanimous.

   Synonyms: big, noble, high-minded

   Antonyms: mean

3. large; abundant; ample:

   a generous portion of pie.

   Synonyms: copious, plentiful

   Antonyms: meager

4. rich or strong in flavor:

   a generous wine.

5. fertile; prolific:

   generous soil.

   Synonyms: fruitful

   Antonyms: barren

generous

/ ˈdʒɛnərəs; ˈdʒɛnrəs /

adjective

1. willing and liberal in giving away one's money, time, etc; munificent
2. free from pettiness in character and mind
3. full or plentiful

   a generous portion

4. (of wine) rich in alcohol
5. (of a soil type) fertile

Derived Forms

• ˈgenerously, adverb
• ˈgenerousness, noun

Other Words From

• gener·ous·ly adverb
• gener·ous·ness noun
• over·gener·ous adjective
• over·gener·ous·ly adverb
• quasi-gener·ous adjective
• quasi-gener·ous·ly adverb
• super·gener·ous adjective
• super·gener·ous·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of generous¹

First recorded in 1570–80; from Middle French genereux, genereus “magnanimous,” and Latin generōsus “of noble birth, excellent,” equivalent to gener- ( gender ² ) + -ōsus -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of generous¹

C16: via Old French from Latin generōsus nobly born, from genus race; see genus

Synonym Study

Generous, charitable, liberal, bountiful, munificent all describe persons who give to others something of value, or the acts of such persons. Generous stresses the warm and sympathetic nature of the giver: a generous gift; generous in praise of the work of others. Charitable places stress on both the goodness and kindness of the giver and the indigence or need of the receiver: charitable assistance to people in need; a charitable person, always willing to help those less fortunate than herself. Liberal, in this connection, emphasizes the size of the gift, the largesse and openhandedness of the giver: a liberal contribution to the endowment fund. Bountiful implies effusive, unstinted giving and a sense of abundance or plenty: bountiful and unrestricted support for the museum; a bountiful return for his efforts. Munificent refers to gifts or awards so large and striking as to evoke amazement or admiration: a life income, a truly munificent reward for his loyalty; a munificent contribution, larger by far than any other.

Example Sentences

And in its simple, generous spirit of giving these creatures palpable narrative power, there’s a profundity: “Flow” might only be imagining their coping skills without us, but it’s a charming, poignant vision of community and perseverance we could stand to be inspired by.

From Los Angeles Times

And Phoebe was so incredibly brave; she was so generous, explaining things to me along the way.

From Salon

Some critics were more generous than the tabloids.

From New York Times

The “gold standard” for the UK would be to strike a generous beach-returns deal with France, says Mr Walsh, in which France agrees to take back migrants who arrive via the Channel and intercept boats.

From BBC

The real trick here was not performed by Geller, but by Carson, who deftly played the role of generous host, making something that could easily have seemed cruel come off as kind.

From New York Times

Related Words

• acceptable
• benevolent
• big
• charitable
• considerate
• fair
• good
• helpful
• honest
• hospitable
• lavish
• reasonable
• thoughtful
• tolerant
• unselfish
• willing