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adj C2 Proficient

magnanimous

mag-NAN-ih-muhs

Magnanimous (adj) means Generous and noble-minded, especially in forgiving an insult or overlooking a wrong. Example: “Despite winning easily, she was magnanimous in victory and praised her opponent.”

adj
1
Generous and noble-minded, especially in forgiving an insult or overlooking a wrong.
"Despite winning easily, she was magnanimous in victory and praised her opponent."
"He made a magnanimous gesture by dropping the lawsuit entirely."

How to use magnanimous

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishBig-hearted and generous, especially when someone could easily have been petty or vindictive instead.

Common pairings
magnanimous in victory a magnanimous gesture

Word forms

more magnanimous comparative, most magnanimous superlative

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Despite winning easily, she was _____ in victory and praised her opponent.

Etymology

From Latin magnanimus, from magnus ("great") + animus ("spirit, mind").

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for magnanimous

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Frequently asked questions

What does “magnanimous” mean?

The word “magnanimous” means generous and noble-minded, especially in forgiving an insult or overlooking a wrong. In plain terms, big-hearted and generous, especially when someone could easily have been petty or vindictive instead.

How do you pronounce “magnanimous”?

“Magnanimous” is pronounced mag-NAN-ih-muhs (/mæɡˈnæn.ɪ.məs/ in IPA).

How do you use “magnanimous” in a sentence?

Here is “magnanimous” used in a sentence: “Despite winning easily, she was magnanimous in victory and praised her opponent.”

What part of speech is “magnanimous”?

“Magnanimous” is an adjective.

Where does the word “magnanimous” come from?

The word “magnanimous” comes from Latin. From Latin magnanimus, from magnus ("great") + animus ("spirit, mind").

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