generous English · revision 6893

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1583|origins=la genus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈd͡ʒɛn(ə)ɹəs/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|frm|généreux]] or directly [[bor|la|generosus|t=of noble birth; magnanimous]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|la|genus|t=race, stock]] (genitive generis) (see [[genus]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from PIE [[ine-pro|*ǵenh₁-|alt=*gene-|t=to give birth, beget]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of noble birth, and so noble in spirit: 1588, in Shakespeare's ''Love's Labour's Lost'';^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) 1583 in MWU.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ NODE traces the development from noble birth to the qualities thought natural to it: courage and magnanimity, then liberality.^(NODE 1998) Of animals, of good breed, is from 1607 and obsolete.^(OED 1989) Plentiful, abundant, is from the 1610s,^(Etymonline) and free in giving from 1696, probably after earlier French;^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) both senses were already present in French and Latin.^(Etymonline) Of wine, rich and full-bodied, is a further use.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1583 – first use (MWU).^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1588 – of noble birth.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1610s – plentiful.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1696 – free in giving.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Willing to give money, help or time freely; [[liberal]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Larger or more plentiful than usual; [[ample]]: ''a generous helping''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Kind and fair in judging others; [[magnanimous]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[generously]]

+ * [[generousness]]

+ * [[overgenerous]]

+ * [[supergenerous]]

+ * [[ungenerous]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[generosity]]

+ * [[genus]]

+ * [[gender]]

+ * [[general]]

+ * [[genre]]

+ * [[gentle]]

+ * [[kin]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}