generosity
Americannoun
plural
generosities-
readiness or liberality in giving.
- Synonyms:
- bountifulness, munificence
- Antonyms:
- stinginess
-
freedom from meanness or smallness of mind or character.
- Synonyms:
- magnanimity, nobleness
- Antonyms:
- pettiness
-
a generous act.
We thanked him for his many generosities.
-
largeness or fullness; amplitude.
noun
-
willingness and liberality in giving away one's money, time, etc; magnanimity
-
freedom from pettiness in character and mind
-
a generous act
-
abundance; plenty
Usage
What does generosity mean? Generosity is the spirit and action of freely and frequently giving to others.Generosity can also refer to an overall spirit of kindness, but this is less common.Example: If there’s one thing she will be remembered for, it’s her generosity—she was extremely generous with her money, her time, and her effort.
Other Word Forms
- overgenerosity noun
- supergenerosity noun
Etymology
Origin of generosity
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English generosite, from Latin generōsitās, from generōs(us) generous + -itās -ity
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.
Access to childcare can be highly dependent on your postcode, campaigners say, and parental leave pay fluctuates wildly, depending on the generosity of employers, while others rely solely on statutory maternity and paternity leave pay.
From BBC
Parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, a former commander in the hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, told lawmakers Tuesday that “protests must be treated with generosity, responsibility and full accountability.”
She was praised by Borja's major for her generosity and years of dedication to the church.
From BBC
"Hundreds of millions of people are alive today because of American generosity -- and many millions more will survive in 2026 because of this landmark investment in humanity."
From Barron's
At charity events, auctioneers insert interrogative phrases, such as “would you give?,” an appeal to the bidders’ generosity.
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.
