magnanimous
adjective
Joseph AddisonEllen Glasgow
Did you know?
When you see anima, animus, or a similar formation in a word, it’s often an indicator of something alive, lively, or spirited. Something described as animated is full of life, for example, and the word animal refers to a living thing. The Latin word anima means “breath” or “soul” and animus means “spirit.” In magnanimous, animus is joined by the Latin word magnus, meaning “great.” Basically meaning “greatness of spirit,” magnanimity is the opposite of selfishness. A truly magnanimous person can lose without complaining and win without gloating, and angry disputes can sometimes be resolved when one side makes a magnanimous gesture toward the other.
Synonyms
Examples of magnanimous in a Sentence
Tom Perrotta, Joe College, 2000
… and many of them retain a respectful Eisenhower-or-Kennedy-era view of America as Japan's usually magnanimous elder brother.
—James Fallows, Atlantic, August 1989
… with the off-duty cops downing them as fast as he could pour, Leery could afford to be magnanimous and play the jukebox for the boys and girls.
—Joseph Wambaugh, The Delta Star, 1983
Levesque was magnanimous in victory, immediately reassuring English-speaking Quebecers that they were still welcome in the province, an integral part of its history.
—Mordecai Richler, Atlantic, June 1983
She was too magnanimous to resent all the things others had said to her.
a magnanimous donation to the town's animal shelter
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 2 Aug. 2024
Finally, Rogers urged an approach to politics that was critical yet charitable, principled yet magnanimous.
—Steven Watts, The Conversation, 23 Sep. 2024
Erdogan is not magnanimous in victory or in defeat, and the referendum has presented him with both.
—Michael J. Koplow, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2017
Listen and follow » The Critic Recommends Rebecca Mead
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Craig Brown’s book depicts the monumental figure at its center with magnanimous levity.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Magnanimous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnanimous. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
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magnanimous
adjective
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