munificent
adjective
Did you know?
Munificent was formed back in the late 1500s when English speakers, perhaps inspired by similar words such as magnificent, altered the ending of munificence. Munificence in turn comes from munificus, the Latin word for "generous," which itself comes from munus, a Latin noun that is variously translated as "gift," "duty," or "service." Munus has done a fine service to English by giving us other terms related to service or compensation, including municipal and remunerate.
Synonyms
- bighearted
- bounteous
- bountiful
- charitable
- free
- freehanded
- freehearted
- fulsome
- generous
- liberal
- open
- openhanded
- unselfish
- unsparing
- unstinting
Example Sentences
Katherine Stewart, The New Republic, 11 July 2022 More significantly, Rolling Stone wrote a critical piece about country singer Morgan Wallen, reminiscent of Washington Post reporter David Fahrenthold’s Pulitzer-winning investigations of Donald Trump’s claims of his munificent charitable donations. Washington Post, 17 Oct. 2021 Like many startups, print-on-demand companies tend to coat themselves in munificent techno-marketing clichés. Roger Sollenberger, Wired, 16 Mar. 2020 Second is the munificent flow of remittances from millions of expat V4 citizens who now live and work in the EU, especially in Germany, Austria or Britain. The Economist, 24 Oct. 2019 Where to eat La Nueva España, a casual lunch counter off Broadway, is one of Inwood’s many Dominican restaurants with hearty food and munificent portions. New York Times, 21 Aug. 2019 GateHouse’s approach to its newspapers in recent years has made Gannett look almost munificent by contrast. Washington Post, 16 Aug. 2019 The best song Oscars category has always been a curious creature, a mash-up of hits, snoozers and misfires, and a munificent source of Academy Awards moments that can astonish, or bore, or mortify. Cara Buckley, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2018 Summing up his desire to give a voice to the marginalized and overlooked, the munificent director even ponies up for an electric larynx when one of the brothers is rendered mute after an operation. Neil Young, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Sep. 2017 See More Word History
back-formation from munificence, from Latin munificentia, from munificus generous, from munus service, gift — more at mean
1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1
munificent
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- generous
- charitable
- benevolent
- bounteous
- bountiful
- liberal
- unselfish
- openhanded
- handsome
- bighearted
- fulsome
- unstinting
- unsparing
- kind
- lavish
- overgenerous
- freehanded
- philanthropic
- extravagant
- beneficent
- hospitable
- profuse
- open
- compassionate
- magnanimous
- altruistic
- free
- humanitarian
- kindly
- philanthropical
- freehearted
- sympathetic
- big
- openhearted
- samaritan
- largehearted
- greathearted
- good-hearted
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- parsimonious
- miserly
- ungenerous
- stingy
- penurious
- small
- selfish
- tightfisted
- cheap
- niggardly
- uncharitable
- petty
- tight
- costive
- illiberal
- close
- mingy
- thrifty
- frugal
- chary
- avaricious
- sparing
- mean
- stinting
- spare
- rapacious
- desirous
- hoggish
- acquisitive
- mercenary
- covetous
- avid
- closefisted
- grudging
- envious
- begrudging
- itchy
- resentful
- stinting
- grasping
- coveting
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of munificent are bountiful, generous, and liberal. While all these words mean "giving or given freely and unstintingly," munificent suggests a scale of giving appropriate to lords or princes.
The meanings of bountiful and munificent largely overlap; however, bountiful suggests lavish, unremitting giving or providing.
Although the words generous and munificent have much in common, generous stresses warmhearted readiness to give more than size or importance of the gift.
The words liberal and munificent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, liberal suggests openhandedness in the giver and largeness in the thing or amount given.