beneficiary
behn-ih-FIHSH-uhr-ee
Beneficiary (noun) means a person who receives an advantage or gain from something. Example: “Small businesses were the main beneficiaries of the new tax break.”
noun
1
A person who receives an advantage or gain from something.
"Small businesses were the main beneficiaries of the new tax break."
2
A person named to receive money or property from a will, trust, or insurance policy.
"She named her son as the sole beneficiary of her life insurance policy."
"The estate's beneficiaries met with the lawyer to go over the will."
How to use beneficiary
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe person who ends up receiving the money, property, or advantage — for example, from a will or insurance policy.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
sole beneficiary
named beneficiary
beneficiary of a will
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Word forms
- Plural
- beneficiaries
Fill the gap
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She named her son as the sole _____ of her life insurance policy.
Etymology
From Latin beneficiarius, "one granted a favor or privilege," from beneficium ("benefit") — making it a distant cousin of "benefactor," even though the two words end up meaning close to opposites in everyday use.
Synonyms
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donee
benefactive role
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for beneficiary
See all rhymes for beneficiary →Frequently asked questions
What does “beneficiary” mean?
The word “beneficiary” means a person who receives an advantage or gain from something. In plain terms, the person who ends up receiving the money, property, or advantage — for example, from a will or insurance policy.
How do you pronounce “beneficiary”?
“Beneficiary” is pronounced behn-ih-FIHSH-uhr-ee (/ˌbɛn.ɪˈfɪʃ.ɚ.i/ in IPA).
How do you use “beneficiary” in a sentence?
Here is “beneficiary” used in a sentence: “She named her son as the sole beneficiary of her life insurance policy.”
What is the opposite of “beneficiary”?
The opposite of “beneficiary” — its antonyms — is maleficiary.
What part of speech is “beneficiary”?
“Beneficiary” is a noun.
Where does the word “beneficiary” come from?
The word “beneficiary” comes from Latin. From Latin beneficiarius, "one granted a favor or privilege," from beneficium ("benefit") — making it a distant cousin of "benefactor," even though the two words end up meaning close to opposites in everyday use.
Is “beneficiary” a common word?
“Beneficiary” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C2 level.
How many meanings does “beneficiary” have?
“Beneficiary” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person who receives an advantage or gain from something.
