cui bono

American  

[kooi boh-noh, kwee boh-noh, kahy-] / kʊɪ ˈboʊ noʊ, ˈkwi ˈboʊ noʊ, ˈkaɪ- /

Latin.

1. for whose benefit?

2. for what use? of what good?

---

cui bono British  

/ kwiː ˈbəʊnəʊ /

1. for whose benefit? for what purpose?

---

Example Sentences

Seriously, why the hell is this administration determined to flush billions down Argentina’s toilet — or, to phrase that more elegantly, cui bono?

From Salon

At the very least, the “cui bono” question is clear enough: Khatib concludes that “the collapse of the Assad regime will inevitably mean the end of the Iran-dominated regional order,” to be replaced by a new order built around Israel as “the Middle East’s agenda-setter.”

From Salon

Cui bono from all this “dark money”?

From Slate

The always-telling question “Cui bono?” applies here.

From Los Angeles Times

But now the answer to all who would emulate the deeds of a Parry or a Ross, a Beecher or a Franklin, is the stereotyped cui bono.

From Nature