beneficentia Latin · revision 33751

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero|origins=la bene, la faciō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [bɛ.nɛ.fɪˈkɛn.ti.a]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [be.ne.fiˈt͡ʃɛn.t͡si.a]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''beneficentia''' ''f'' (genitive beneficentiae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|beneficus|-ia|t1=generous, kind]], built on the stem ⟨beneficent-⟩, as [[m|la|magnificentia]] is from [[m|la|magnificus]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) [[m|la|beneficus]] is made from [[m|la|bene|t=well]] and the root of [[m|la|faciō|t=to do]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLL finds it first in Cicero, who has it thirteen times.^(TLL) He asks what is better than goodness and beneficence.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Cicero uses it in his philosophical writings, explaining it as what may also be called kindness or liberality, and Lewis & Short note that it is rare elsewhere.^(Lewis & Short 1879) The TLL counts one instance each in Seneca the philosopher, Tacitus and Ammianus, and finds it frequent among Christian writers.^(TLL) Tacitus speaks of showing kindness to suppliants, and Seneca of beneficence that enriched and honoured those subject to it.^(Lewis & Short 1879) The Vulgate has it in the Letter to the Hebrews, and Lactantius sets it against ''maleficentia''.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Church Latin uses it for liberality and kindness.^(Stelten 1995) English [[m|en|beneficence]] comes from it, first in the mid-15th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero, of beneficence as a virtue.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 98–115 AD – Tacitus, of kindness to suppliants.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 390–406 AD – The Vulgate, in the Letter to the Hebrews.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * mid-15th century – English [[m|en|beneficence]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|beneficence|alt=Beneficence]], [[m|en|kindness]], [[m|en|liberality]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[beneficus]]

+ * [[beneficium]]

+ * [[benevolentia]]

+ * [[maleficus]]

+ * [[en|beneficence]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}