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goodwill

or good will

[goo d-wil]
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noun
  1. friendly disposition; benevolence; kindness.
  2. cheerful acquiescence or consent.
  3. Commerce. an intangible, salable asset arising from the reputation of a business and its relations with its customers, distinct from the value of its stock and other tangible assets.
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Origin of goodwill

before 900; Middle English; Old English gōd willa. See good, will2

Synonyms

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1. friendliness. See favor.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for good will

goodwill

noun
  1. a feeling of benevolence, approval, and kindly interest
  2. (modifier) resulting from, showing, or designed to show goodwillthe government sent a goodwill mission to Moscow; a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF
  3. willingness or acquiescence
  4. accounting an intangible asset taken into account in assessing the value of an enterprise and reflecting its commercial reputation, customer connections, etc
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for good will

Old English godes willan "virtuous, pious, upright," also "state of wishing well to another." One-word form goodwill (18c.) is used especially in commercial senses.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper