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generous

adjective
gen·​er·​ous | \ ˈjen-rÉ™s How to pronounce generous (audio) , ˈje-nÉ™-\

Definition of generous

1a : liberal in giving : openhanded a generous benefactor
b : marked by abundance or ample proportions wide overhangs and generous verandas— Lewis Mumford : copious a thin salt-and-pepper moustache interrupted by a generous nose— Richard Zabel
c : characterized by a noble or kindly spirit : magnanimous, kindly a generous heart
2 archaic : highborn
Other Words from generous Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about generous

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Other Words from generous

generously adverb
generousness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for generous

liberal, generous, bountiful, munificent mean giving or given freely and unstintingly. liberal suggests openhandedness in the giver and largeness in the thing or amount given. a teacher liberal with her praise generous stresses warmhearted readiness to give more than size or importance of the gift. a generous offer of help bountiful suggests lavish, unremitting giving or providing. children spoiled by bountiful presents munificent suggests a scale of giving appropriate to lords or princes. a munificent foundation grant

Examples of generous in a Sentence

The school raised the money through donations from generous alumni. He was generous with both his time and his money. She has always been very generous toward the poor. This restaurant is known for its generous portions. a generous helping of mashed potatoes She has a generous heart. He has generous sympathy for unemployed workers.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 The 500 celebrities—in many cases, an admittedly generous description—who have launched apps through EscapeX have no suppressive algorithms to fear, and options aplenty to monetize. — Wired, "Jeremy Renner's App Developer: 'This Is a Freak Situation'," 6 Sep. 2019 The generous dusting of Cotija on elote is nearly as important as the corn itself, bringing the sweetness of the kernels and the tang of the sour cream into harmonious balance. — Bon Appétit, "The Salty, Crumbly, Addictive Cheese That We'd Find Any Excuse to Eat," 28 Aug. 2019 Although a challenging personality, Linda meant well, being generous, fun and always entertaining. — sun-sentinel.com, "Deaths in South Florida: 8/9," 9 Aug. 2019 Other scientists pushed back, saying the estimates were overly generous, and that the climate benefits of reforestation are little studied, highly variable and restoring so much land would be politically and technically difficult. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Ethiopia Plants 350 Million Trees in 12 Hours—a New Record," 30 July 2019 Saints are thought to be patient, generous, empathetic and intercessors. — Sydney Scott, Essence, "Tituss Burgess Is Full Of Love And Optimism On New EP 'Saint Tituss'," 26 July 2019 The reality is that reparations, however generous, would have nothing like the effect promised by those calling for them. — Graham Hillard, National Review, "The Other Case against Reparations," 22 July 2019 One of Collins’ co-workers, Tameko Fenderson, said Collins was generous with her co-workers, lending a helping hand even if she wasn’t being paid to do so. — Adam Ferrise, cleveland.com, "3-year-old girl, 5-year-old boy among four dead in Cleveland’s Slavic Village, family member says," 9 July 2019 If only Versailles had been more generous, the second world war might never have taken place. — The Economist, "Versailles revisited," 6 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'generous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of generous

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 2

History and Etymology for generous

Middle French or Latin; Middle French genereus, from Latin generosus, from gener-, genus

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More Definitions for generous

generous

adjective
How to pronounce generous (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of generous

: freely giving or sharing money and other valuable things
: providing more than the amount that is needed or normal : abundant or ample
: showing kindness and concern for others

See the full definition for generous in the English Language Learners Dictionary

generous

adjective
gen·​er·​ous | \ ˈje-nÉ™-rÉ™s How to pronounce generous (audio) , ˈjen-rÉ™s\

Kids Definition of generous

1 : freely giving or sharing She was generous with her time.
2

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