Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “benevolence” come from?

benevolence (English) comes from Latin benevolentia, from Latin benevolens, from Latin bene, from Latin bonus, from Old Latin duenos, from Proto-Italic dwenos, from Proto-Indo-European dew- — to show favour, revere; to fail, to lag, to be...

benevolence (English): Disposition to do good; Charitable kindness; An...

Definitions

  1. Disposition to do good; Charitable kindness; An...

Ancestry of “benevolence”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinbenevolentiakindness
2Latinbenevolenskind, wishing well, benevolent, friendly, with a...
3Latinbenewell; properly, exactly; agreeably, favorably
4Latinbonusgood, honest, brave, noble, kind, pleasant;...
5Old LatinduenosAlternative form of duonus
6Proto-Italicdwenosgood
7Proto-Indo-Europeandew-to show favour, revere; to fail, to lag, to be...

Words derived from “benevolence”

  • unbenevolence
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dew- →