Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Very liberal in giving; generous.
  • adjective Showing great generosity: synonym: liberal.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Extremely liberal in giving or bestowing; very generous: as, a munificent benefactor or patron.
  • Characterized by great liberality or lavish generosity: as, a munificent gift.
  • Synonyms Bountiful, bounteous, princely. See beneficence.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Very liberal in giving or bestowing; lavish.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Very liberal in giving or bestowing; lavish; as a munificent benefactor.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective very generous

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin mūnificēns, mūnificent-, from mūnificus : mūnus, gift; see mei- in Indo-European roots + facere, to make; see fact.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin munificus, munificens ("liberal"), from munus ("gift") + facio ("I make").

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Examples

  • Chinese lady well known as a munificent patron of the faith, and I believe another at Nanking, but I do not know if it is complete or not [757].

    Hinduism and Buddhism, An Historical Sketch, Vol. 3 Charles Eliot 1896

  • .."munificent" would probably better express my thought...

    BSNYC Monday Fun Quiz! BikeSnobNYC 2008

  • As an instance of the wild liberality of the age, we are informed, that Henry the "munificent" Count of Champagne, being applied to by a poor gentleman for a portion to enable him to marry his two daughters: his steward remonstrated to him, "that he had given away every thing," "thou _liest_," said Henry, "I have _thee_ left;" so he delivered over the steward to the petitioner, who put him into confinement until he gave him 500 livres, a handsome sum in those days.

    The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 13, No. 377, June 27, 1829 Various

  • We know that local councils are strapped for cash but such a munificent gesture from the councillors also seems somewhat improbable!

    3 posts from May 2009 2009

  • Even with all those munificent dividend payments, my net worth has dropped by a third, and new vistas of worry open up for me each day.

    Why I Fired My Broker 2009

  • The U.S. auctioned $28 billion worth of four-week bills on Wednesday paying a munificent yield of 0%.

    Overheard 2011

  • "Is that their coach or Jim Nantz's intern?" and the university awarded young head coach Brad Stevens a munificent, 12-year contract, nobody really thought the plucky Indianapolis school would be back so soon.

    The Butler Bandwagon Rides Again Jason Gay 2011

  • Sandel was Youth, and he threw his strength away with the munificent abandon of Youth.

    A PIECE OF STEAK 2010

  • He was for several years Lord Rector of St. Andrews University, to which, as well as to Glasgow University, he was a munificent benefactor.

    The Third Marquess of Bute: Catholic Convert and Patron 2009

  • Even with all those munificent dividend payments, my net worth has dropped by a third, and new vistas of worry open up for me each day.

    Why I Fired My Broker 2009

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