Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One that gives aid, especially financial aid.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Literally, a well-doer; one who does good.
  • noun One who confers a benefit; a kindly helper: as, “the great benefactor of mankind,”
  • noun One who makes a benefaction to or endows a charitable or other institution; one who makes a bequest.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun One who confers a benefit or benefits.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Somebody who gives one a gift. Usually refers to someone who gives money to a charity or another form of organization.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a person who helps people or institutions (especially with financial help)

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Late Latin, from Latin benefacere, to do a service; see benefaction.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin benefactor ("he who bestows a favor"), from benefaciō ("benefit someone"), from bene ("good") + faciō ("do, make").

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