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.
See Examples For:
That’s generous and it takes not a small amount of magnanimity to put aside hurt feelings like that.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
But he added: William "will look benevolent. He will look like he is exercising magnanimity."
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
Thomas Aquinas named it magnanimity, the stretching of the soul toward great things.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
Out of magnanimity, I’ll liken this trifle to a Rothko.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026
Rand held up her hands in a gesture of mock magnanimity.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
Here at last has a Lover of Philosophy got upon the throne, and great philanthropies and magnanimities are to be expected, think rash editors and idle mankind.
From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 11 by Thomas Carlyle
A most momentous resolution; not the peaceable magnanimities, but the warlike, are the thing appointed for Frederick henceforth.
From The World's Greatest Books — Volume 12 — Modern History by Sir John Alexander Hammerton
Struggle with new magnanimities as she would, jealousy was native to Kitty, and jealousy has sharp eyes.
From The Story of Louie by Oliver [pseud.] Onions
With the Hessians there was some difficulty; hesitation on Landgraf Wilhelm's part; who pities the poor Kaiser, and would fain see him back at Frankfurt, and awaken the Britannic magnanimities for him.
From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 14 by Thomas Carlyle
He noted all the Apostate's foibles by the side of his virtues and his magnanimities.
From Henrik Ibsen by Edmund Gosse
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
