beneficence
Americannoun
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the doing of good; active goodness or kindness; charity.
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a beneficent act or gift; benefaction.
noun
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the act of doing good; kindness
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a charitable act or gift
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of beneficence
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English; French bénéficence, from Latin beneficentia; see benefic, -ence
Explanation
If you show someone kindness or generosity, that's beneficence like when you shovel a neighbor's sidewalk or mow their lawn just to help out, no strings attached. Beneficence comes from the Latin word benefactum, meaning "good deed." That's exactly what beneficence is — helping someone just because you care, not because you want to be praised for being nice. Giving your time, skills, or even a donation of money or items shows beneficence. This word can also describe the character of a person who is helpful, caring, and compassionate.
Vocabulary lists containing beneficence
Take the Bad with the Good: Bene and Mal
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Vocabulary from "John L. O'Sullivan on 'Manifest Destiny' " from 1839
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The Federalist Papers, No. 14 by James Madison
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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.
“We presume that beneficence, compassion, empathy, sympathy or kindness will be processed by this other culture in ways similar or identical to ours.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Thanks to a delicate balance of force, beneficence, and self-interest, the United States would enjoy both great national wealth and historically unprecedented global dominance.
From Salon ● Dec. 27, 2025
Paula Keeler, 74, took a break from her recent shift inspecting produce to discuss the organization’s beneficence.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2025
There’s no better place to start than with Zackey Rahimi, a recipient of the 5th Circuit’s highly selective beneficence.
From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2023
Erwin’s beneficence, however, did not silence the rising critics of a system that traded informal “favors” for complete submission to the owner’s authority.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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.
