Other forms: benevolences
Benevolence is kindly feeling and the wish to do good. An air of benevolence.
It is about the wish rather than the act, which is what separates it from charity. Benevolence from a position of power can be kindly and still leave nobody any choice.
1nounbenevolenceKindly feeling and the wish to do good.
“His benevolence paid for the school and chose the headmaster.”
benevolence is a feeling.
Latin benevolentia is bene, well, plus velle, to wish.
Proto-Indo-European
*welh₁-
Latin
benevolentia
Old French
benivolence
English, today
benevolence
Built from
Circa 1400, original sense “good will, disposition to do good”, Old French benivolence from Latin benevolentia (also directly from Latin), literally “good will”, from bene (“well, good”) + volentia, form of volēns, form of volō (“to wish”), components cognate to English benefit and voluntary, more distantly will (via Proto-Indo-European).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA