generous

[ jen-er-uhs ]
/ ˈdʒɛn ər əs /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR generous ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

liberal in giving or sharing; unselfish: a generous patron of the arts; a generous gift.
free from meanness or smallness of mind or character; magnanimous.
large; abundant; ample: a generous portion of pie.
rich or strong in flavor: a generous wine.
fertile; prolific: generous soil.

Origin of generous

1580–90; < Middle French généreux < Latin generōsus of noble birth, equivalent to gener- (see gender2) + -ōsus -ous

synonym study for generous

1. Generous, charitable, liberal, bountiful, munificent all describe persons who give to others something of value, or the acts of such persons. Generous stresses the warm and sympathetic nature of the giver: a generous gift; generous in praise of the work of others. Charitable places stress on both the goodness and kindness of the giver and the indigence or need of the receiver: charitable assistance to the needy; a charitable person, always willing to help those less fortunate than herself. Liberal, in this connection, emphasizes the size of the gift, the largesse and openhandedness of the giver: a liberal contribution to the endowment fund. Bountiful implies effusive, unstinted giving and a sense of abundance or plenty: bountiful and unrestricted support for the museum; a bountiful return for his efforts. Munificent refers to gifts or awards so large and striking as to evoke amazement or admiration: a life income, a truly munificent reward for his loyalty; a munificent contribution, larger by far than any other.

OTHER WORDS FROM generous

Words nearby generous

generator, generatrix, generic, generic name, generosity, generous, generous to a fault, genesee, genesic, genesis, genet

Words related to overgenerous

lavish, careless, extravagant, destructive, reckless, profligate, cavalier, immoderate, improvident, incontinent, liberal, overdone, prodigal, profuse, ruinous, spendthrift, wanton, wild, unthrifty, dissipative

Example sentences from the Web for overgenerous

  • Literature is not an overgenerous paymaster, and with a growing family expenses tend to increase in a larger ratio than income.

    A Backward Glance at Eighty |Charles A. Murdock

  • "Nature was overgenerous with that young lady," Farrel decided, as he made his way up to the smoking-car.

    The Pride of Palomar |Peter B. Kyne

  • On it there was a diminutive pancake which had made itself from the drippings of an overgenerous spoonful.

    The Wrong Woman |Charles D. Stewart

  • How did she know that generosity even among the overgenerous was infectious?

    Mrs. Raffles |John Kendrick Bangs

British Dictionary definitions for overgenerous (1 of 2)

overgenerous
/ (ˌəʊvəˈdʒɛnərəs, -ˈdʒɛnrəs) /

adjective

excessively willing and liberal in giving away one's time, money, etc

British Dictionary definitions for overgenerous (2 of 2)

generous
/ (ˈdʒɛnərəs, ˈdʒɛnrəs) /

adjective

willing and liberal in giving away one's money, time, etc; munificent
free from pettiness in character and mind
full or plentiful a generous portion
(of wine) rich in alcohol
(of a soil type) fertile

Derived forms of generous

generously, adverb generousness, noun

Word Origin for generous

C16: via Old French from Latin generōsus nobly born, from genus race; see genus