magnanimity
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of magnanimity
1300–50; Middle English magnanimite < Latin magnanimitās. See magnanimous, -ity
Explanation
Magnanimous behavior is noble, generous, or unselfish, and to exhibit magnanimity is to be this way. He showed great magnanimity in not pressing charges when I drove his car into the pond. "Accidents happen my friend," he said, and patted me on the back. In Latin, magnus means "great": a magnate is a great man; a magnum is a great big bottle of champagne. Magnanimity is the generous greatness of spirit. When you are being the bigger person, you are behaving with magnanimity. "The supermodel grabbed the magnum of champagne, lifted it to her mouth and drained the bottle. With great magnanimity, her host smiled and offered her another."
Vocabulary lists containing magnanimity
The Declaration of Independence
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Speak Your Mind: Anim
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Brave New World
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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.
Thomas Aquinas named it magnanimity, the stretching of the soul toward great things.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026
But the federal government’s magnanimity did not end there.
From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026
By contrast, Starmer's been the model of magnanimity - offering Sarwar his "100%" support.
From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026
Renowned for our imagination, hustle and open-mindedness, Angelenos are called by this disaster to show magnanimity in the face of devastation.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 17, 2025
“It’s possible I was wrong,” she said, with an air of great magnanimity.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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.
