beneficial

American  

[ben-uh-fish-uhl] / ˌbɛn əˈfɪʃ əl /

adjective

1. conferring benefit; advantageous; helpful.

   the beneficial effect of sunshine.

   Synonyms:

   profitable, favorable, useful, serviceable, wholesome, salutary

   Antonyms:

   harmful

2. Law.

   1. helpful in the meeting of needs.

      a beneficial association.

   2. involving the personal enjoyment of proceeds.

      a beneficial owner.

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beneficial British  

/ ˌbɛnɪˈfɪʃəl /

adjective

1. (sometimes foll by to) causing a good result; advantageous

2. law entitling a person to receive the profits or proceeds of property

   a beneficial interest in land

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Other Word Forms

• beneficially adverb
• beneficialness noun
• nonbeneficial adjective
• nonbeneficially adverb
• nonbeneficialness noun
• quasi-beneficial adjective
• quasi-beneficially adverb
• unbeneficial adjective
• unbeneficially adverb
• unbeneficialness noun

Etymology

Origin of beneficial

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Late Latin beneficiālis, equivalent to Latin benefici(um) “kindness” ( benefice ( def. ) ) + -ālis -al ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

Eating plant fed insects could also have introduced beneficial gut microbes that later supported digestion of vegetation.

From Science Daily

The names of real, or "beneficial" owners are frequently hidden.

From BBC

"This is a challenging and contested area of medicine and aligning the Northern Ireland services with those in England would be beneficial," Baroness Cass wrote.

From BBC

This perspective on work, though bleak on one hand, may actually be financially beneficial for workers, career experts told MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch

"The surgery was brilliant, but what Alex is offering would appear to be far more beneficial, a very exciting opportunity," she added.

From BBC

Related Words

• benign
• constructive
• favorable
• good
• helpful
• profitable
• useful
• valuable