largesse
English
Alternative forms
- largess
Etymology
From Middle English larges, largess, largesse, from Old French largesse, largesce, largece, from Vulgar Latin *largitia, from Latin largus (“abundant, large, liberal”).
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /lɑːˈd͡ʒɛs/
- (US) IPA(key): /lɑɹˈd͡ʒɛs/
Audio (US) (file)
Noun
largesse (plural largesses)
- (uncountable) Generosity in the giving of gifts or money.
- Synonyms: benevolence, generosity, graciousness, boon
- Antonyms: niggardliness, tight fistedness
- The gifts or money given in such a way.
- 1846, Charles Dickens, Pictures from Italy, published 1913, page 264:
- The procession was brought to a close, by some dozen indomitable warriors of different nations, riding two and two, and haughtily surveying the tame population of Modena: among whom, however, they occasionally condescended to scatter largesse in the form of a few handbills.
-
- A benevolent demeanor.
Translations
generosity in the giving of gifts or money
|
the gifts or money given in such a way
|
benevolent demeanor
|
Anagrams
- Glaesers, eelgrass, gearless, rageless
French
Etymology
From Old French largesce, corresponding to large + -esse.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /laʁ.ʒɛs/
- Rhymes: -ɛs
Audio (file)
Noun
largesse f (plural largesses)
- largess; financial generosity
Further reading
- “largesse”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Anagrams
- réglasse