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beneficial

[ben-uh-fish-uhl]
adjective
  1. conferring benefit; advantageous; helpful: the beneficial effect of sunshine.
  2. Law.
    1. helpful in the meeting of needs: a beneficial association.
    2. involving the personal enjoyment of proceeds: a beneficial owner.
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Origin of beneficial

1425–75; late Middle English < Late Latin beneficiālis, equivalent to Latin benefici(um) kindness (see benefice) + -ālis -al1
Related formsben·e·fi·cial·ly, adverbben·e·fi·cial·ness, nounnon·ben·e·fi·cial, adjectivenon·ben·e·fi·cial·ly, adverbnon·ben·e·fi·cial·ness, nounqua·si-ben·e·fi·cial, adjectivequa·si-ben·e·fi·cial·ly, adverbun·ben·e·fi·cial, adjectiveun·ben·e·fi·cial·ly, adverbun·ben·e·fi·cial·ness, noun
Can be confusedbeneficent beneficial benevolent

Synonyms for beneficial

1. salutary, wholesome, serviceable, useful, favorable, profitable.

Antonyms for beneficial

1. harmful.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for unbeneficial

beneficial

adjective
  1. (sometimes foll by to) causing a good result; advantageous
  2. law entitling a person to receive the profits or proceeds of propertya beneficial interest in land
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Derived Formsbeneficially, adverb

Word Origin for beneficial

C15: from Late Latin beneficiālis, from Latin beneficium kindness
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 unbeneficial

beneficial

adj.

mid-15c., "helpful, advantageous," from Middle French bénéficial and directly from Latin beneficialis "pertaining to a favor," from beneficium (see benefice). Related: Beneficially.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper