benefit

benefit

synonyms, antonyms, definitions, examples & translations of benefit in English

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

  • (advantage, help): harm, disadvantage, encumbrance, hindrance, malefit, nuisance, obstacle, detriment

Derived terms

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

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) 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

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This article based on an article on Wiktionary. The list of authors can be seen in the page history there. The original work has been modified. This article is distributed under the terms of this license.