noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of benefactor
1425–75; late Middle English benefactour < Late Latin; see bene-, factor
Explanation
Every school, museum, and struggling artist is in search for a generous benefactor, or someone to provide the financial means to keep everything running smoothly. The Latin roots of benefactor are bene, which means "well," and facere, which means "to do" — literally, "to do well." A benefactor does well by supporting (usually financially) a person or a good cause. In the old days, a struggling artist or actor might have been supported by a wealthy benefactor. Now, many struggling artists and actors have to rely on waiting tables and other odd jobs instead.
Vocabulary lists containing benefactor
Take the Bad with the Good: Bene and Mal
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Giving Words
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Make Do: Fac
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
If the company could not rely on a benefactor like Inouye, it would develop a stable of them.
From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026
Meanwhile, 16% of those expecting an inheritance haven’t discussed it at all with their hoped-for benefactor.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026
Castro is remembered by supporters as having guided Cuba through multiple crises -- US-backed invasions, embargoes, assassination plots and the intense hardship caused by the collapse of Cuba's main ally and benefactor, the Soviet Union.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
Donations to colleges fall into two buckets: those for general use and those restricted to a specific purpose by the benefactor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
What will Arthur do for Erik, his sponsor, his benefactor, his ticket to the big time?
From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor
The announcement "will include a series of measures to make political funding more transparent, including restrictions on donations from foreign-based benefactors", the paper says.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026
Supported by unnamed donors, he offers encouragement and religious-based morale boosts to politicians or their mutual benefactors.
From Salon ● Jun. 9, 2026
“I think the market is saying these financial companies are going to be the biggest benefactors of AI,” with margin and operational efficiency improvements, he said.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 4, 2026
Singapore’s government offers grants, tax exemptions and equity investments to new companies, making the city-state “one of the most generous benefactors of tech entrepreneurs anywhere in the world,” Mr.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 27, 2026
White benefactors supplied schoolbooks for their children—why not ask them to pass the hat for entire schools?
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
