openhanded

American  

[oh-puhn-han-did] / ˈoʊ pənˈhæn dɪd /

adjective

1. generous; liberal.

   openhanded hospitality.

   Synonyms:

   unstinting, lavish, bountiful, magnanimous

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• openhandedness
  noun
• openhandedly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of openhanded

1595–1605; open hand + -ed ³

Explanation

Your openhanded uncle can't resist giving money to anyone who asks for it — openhanded means generous. People who are openhanded give freely and kindly, whether they're donating money, giving gifts, or offering help. While you can use the adjective openhanded for many kinds of generosity, it's used most often to refer specifically to money and a person's willingness to part with it. The word has been around since about 1600, and it can be spelled with a hyphen or as two words — open handed — as well as one.

Example Sentences

And with so many rich people collecting contemporary art, and the public’s interest in such art growing, museums often seek to devote more space to it to keep donors interested and openhanded.

From New York Times • Dec. 14, 2019

As a patron of charities, Mr. Koch ranked among the most openhanded donors of his era, disbursing more than $1 billion to cultural and medical nonprofit organizations.

From Washington Post • Aug. 23, 2019

“Billy Graham’s style was openhanded invitation,” Robert P. Jones, of the Public Religion Research Institute, said.

From The New Yorker • Sep. 11, 2018

Analysts say the United Arab Emirates’ economic viability requires guiding more Emiratis into self-sustaining private businesses and weaning them from the state’s openhanded patronage.

From Washington Times • Nov. 4, 2014

Seven years, then, my sojourn lasted there, and I amassed a fortune, going about among the openhanded Egyptians.

From "The Odyssey" by Homer