largesse
Meanings
noun
- The trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time; generosity, liberality.
- Often preceded by do, give, or make: the generous or liberal giving of gifts or money, especially by someone of high standing on a special occasion; also, excessive or wasteful giving.
- Money, etc., given in this way.
- Abundance of something (chiefly beneficial), regarded as having been given generously.
- Chiefly in the form at one's largesse: freedom or liberty to act.
- An act of donating or giving generously.
- A specific gift of money, etc., given in this way, specifically (historical) at harvest time; a donation, a gratuity.
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
From Middle English larges, largess, largesse [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman largece, largesce, Middle French largece, largesce, largesse, and Old French largesce (“breadth, width; request for a monetary gift; (act of) generous giving; (chiefly in the plural) generous gift; generosity, liberality”) (in Anglo-Norman also “liberty; privilege”; modern French largesse), from large (“big, large; generous; wide”).
Synonyms
Antonyms
Translations
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