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Magnanimous
Greathearted; nobly generous.
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Imagine This
The children who grew up with a nurturing and loving nanny will tend to become loving and generous persons. People who give complete agreement and live in harmony with others are usually great-hearted and forgiving.
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Sounds Like
MAG-nuh-NIM-uhs
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Looks Like
My nanny loves us; magnanimous resembles magnus (great) + anima (soul).
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Remember This
Magn- means great. Magnify means enlarge. Magnanimity means greatness of soul.
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Other Forms
magnanimouslyadverb
magnanimitynoun
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Connect With
generous, benevolent, noble, magnanimous (adj), largesse, philanthropy
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Note
Be careful not to confuse magnanimous with magnanimity. Magnanimous describes a person or their behavior; magnanimity is the quality itself (the noun).
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Study Deeper
Examples
- A magnanimous winner congratulated his opponent and offered a gracious apology.
- Her magnanimous donation helped countless families in need.
Synonyms
generousbenevolentnoblecharitablebig-hearted
Antonyms
pettyselfishuncharitable
Etymology
From Latin magnanimus, from magnus 'great' + anima 'soul' (or spirit); literally 'great-souled'.
Mnemonic
MAGN-ANIM-OUS: Great soul. Remember that magnanimous combines magnus (great) and anima (soul), signaling a generous, noble spirit.
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Embellish
verbTo decorate or add details to something to make it more attractive; also used to mean exaggerating or embellishing a story.
Intermediary
nounA person who acts as a go-between to help two parties communicate or reach an agreement; a mediator.
Malign
verbTo speak ill of; slander; defame; vilify.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Benevolent
adjectiveKindly disposed; well meaning and generous; charitable
Philanthropy
nounThe love of humanity and the desire to promote the welfare of others, usually expressed through charitable acts or donations.
Abstruse
adjectiveDifficult to understand; obscure or highly complex.
Accidental
adjectiveHappening by chance or without deliberate planning; not intended. In music, it is also a noun for a symbol that temporarily alters a pitch.
Acerbic
adjectiveSharp or biting in tone or taste; caustic or mordant in manner.
Acquiescent
adjectiveReady to agree or approve without protest; compliant.
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