benefactress

American  

[ben-uh-fak-tris, ben-uh-fak-] / ˈbɛn əˌfæk trɪs, ˌbɛn əˈfæk- /

noun

1. a woman who confers a benefit, bequest, endowment, or the like.

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Gender

What's the difference between benefactress and benefactor? See -ess.

Etymology

Origin of benefactress

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English benefactrice; benefactor + -ess

Example Sentences

In the fall of 1890, she was awarded a paid research position at Harvard’s Peabody Museum that a wealthy benefactress created specifically for her.

From Slate • Oct. 25, 2021

But it’s insulting that we never get a sense of Abdul’s deeper motivations, the desires that lurk beneath his smiling, unquestioning devotion to his benefactress.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 21, 2017

For dinner, my benefactress and I wound up at one of the city’s trendiest restaurants, Sushi Nakazawa, in the West Village.

From Washington Post • May 2, 2017

Although Fifi and Weefi enjoyed the respectable heritage of a clever breed, the excessive pampering of their benefactress soon became their downfall.

From Forbes • Apr. 24, 2015

The first time I saw a fingerbowl was at the home of my benefactress.

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath