NYT Dictionary

BENEVOLENCE

/bəˈnɛvələns/

Nounbe-NEV-o-lencebe-nev-o-lence · 4 syllablesGrade 9

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018, 2019

Meaning

Disposition to do good.

Etymology

Origin: Latin

Circa 1400, original sense “good will, disposition to do good”, Old French benivolence from Latin benevolentia (also directly from Latin), literally “good will”, from bene (“well, good”) + volentia, form of volēns, form of volō (“to wish”), components cognate to English benefit and voluntary, more distantly will (via Proto-Indo-European).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

benefactionagapealtruismamitybeneficencebenefitbomfogbenthamismaccommodatingnessadvantageousness

Antonyms

malevolence

NYT Puzzle Appearances

No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2018, 2019.