Word of the day · 21 July 2026
munificent
/mjuːˈnɪfɪsənt/
adjective
Very generous; giving on a large and liberal scale.
In a sentence
- A munificent gift funded the new reading room.
- Their munificent hosting made every visitor feel spoiled.
- The prize was munificent enough to change a young artist's year.
In an image
Origin
From Latin munificus (generous), from munus (gift, service) and -ficus (making).
History
Classical Latin praised munificent patrons who funded public works. English kept the high-register tone for donors and hosts. Newspapers still use it for gifts large enough to rename a wing. Compared with generous, munificent signals scale as well as spirit.
Nearby words
generous · bountiful · lavish
Giving that goes well past polite generosity.