openhanded

American  

[oh-puhn-han-did] / ˈoʊ pənˈhæn dɪd /

adjective

1. generous; liberal.

   openhanded hospitality.

   Synonyms:

   unstinting, lavish, bountiful, magnanimous

---

Other Word Forms

• openhandedly adverb
• openhandedness noun

Etymology

Origin of openhanded

1595–1605; open hand + -ed ³

Explanation

Your openhanded uncle can't resist giving money to anyone who asks for it — openhanded means generous. People who are openhanded give freely and kindly, whether they're donating money, giving gifts, or offering help. While you can use the adjective openhanded for many kinds of generosity, it's used most often to refer specifically to money and a person's willingness to part with it. The word has been around since about 1600, and it can be spelled with a hyphen or as two words — open handed — as well as one.

Example Sentences

No openhanded symbol of fellowship that encourages wanderers to come as they are.

From Washington Post • Aug. 24, 2020

“Billy Graham’s style was openhanded invitation,” Robert P. Jones, of the Public Religion Research Institute, said.

From The New Yorker • Sep. 11, 2018

Analysts say the United Arab Emirates’ economic viability requires guiding more Emiratis into self-sustaining private businesses and weaning them from the state’s openhanded patronage.

From Washington Times • Nov. 4, 2014

Mr. Howards said the gesture was an openhanded pat.

From New York Times • Jun. 4, 2012

Seven years, then, my sojourn lasted there, and I amassed a fortune, going about among the openhanded Egyptians.

From "The Odyssey" by Homer