benefit

English Online Dictionary. What means benefit‎? What does benefit mean?

English

Alternative forms

• benefite (obsolete)

Etymology

From Late Middle English benefytt, benefett, alteration (due to Latin bene-) of benfet, bienfet, bienfait (“good or noble deed”), from Anglo-Norman benfet (“well-done”), Middle French bienfait, from Old French bienfet, bienfait (“foredeal, favour”), from past participle of bienfaire (“to do good, do well”), from bien (“well”) + faire (“to do”), modelled after Latin benefactum (“good deed”). More at benefactor.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛn.ɪ.fɪt/
• (US) enPR: bĕn'əfĭt, IPA^(key): /ˈbɛn.ə.fɪt/

Noun

benefit (countable and uncountable, plural benefits)

1. An advantage; help or aid from something.
2. (insurance) A payment made in accordance with an insurance policy or a public assistance scheme.
3. An event, such as a theatrical performance, given to raise funds for some cause.
4. (obsolete) beneficence; liberality
5. Intended audience (as for the benefit of).

Synonyms

• (advantage, help): foredeal, advantage, aid, assistance, boon, help
• (payment): subsidy

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “advantage, help”): harm, disadvantage, encumbrance, hindrance, malefit, nuisance, obstacle, detriment

Derived terms

• beneficial
• benefiter
• benifit (a misspelling)
• benefit cliff
• benefitless

Translations

See also

• lagniappe

Verb

benefit (third-person singular simple present benefits, present participle benefiting or benefitting, simple past and past participle benefited or benefitted)

1. (transitive) To be or to provide a benefit to.
2. (intransitive) To receive a benefit (from); to be a beneficiary.

Usage notes

• Benefiting and benefited are more common, with benefitting and benefitted being minor variants, more so in North America.

Synonyms

• help, batten, behoove

Antonyms

• malefic
• detriment

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Italian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English benefit.

Noun

benefit m (invariable)

1. benefit, advantage

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈbe.ne.fit/, [ˈbɛnɛfɪt̪]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈbe.ne.fit/, [ˈbɛːnefit̪]

Verb

benefit

1. third-person singular present passive indicative of benefaciō