Definition

1. Noun:
   • Liberality in bestowing gifts; extremely liberal and generous of spirit: The quality of being generous, especially in giving money or gifts, often on a grand scale.
   • A gift or money given (as for service or out of benevolence); usually given ostentatiously: A generous gift, typically a sum of money, given freely, often in a showy or public manner.

Usage and Examples

• As a quality of generosity:

  • The philanthropist was known for his largesse, donating millions to various charities.
  • Her largesse extended beyond money, including her time and expertise.

• As a specific gift or bounty:

  • The company distributed a financial largesse to all its employees as a year-end bonus.
  • The king's largesse to his loyal subjects included land and titles.

Advanced Usage

• "To bestow largesse upon": To give generously to someone or a group.
  • The foundation bestows its largesse upon innovative scientific research.
• Often used in formal or literary contexts to describe generosity from a person, institution, or government that holds significant wealth or power.

Variants and Related Words

• Largess: An alternative spelling of "largesse." Both forms are correct and have the same meaning.
• Largeness (noun): The state of being large in size. (Note: This is a distinct word with a different meaning related to physical size, not generosity).

Synonyms

• Generosity: The quality of being kind and generous.
• Munificence: Larger than usual generosity.
• Bounty: Something given generously; a generous gift.
• Benefaction: A donation or gift, typically one given for a charitable purpose.

Antonyms

• Stinginess: Lack of generosity.
• Miserliness: Extreme reluctance to spend money or give things away.
• Parsimony: Extreme unwillingness to spend money or use resources.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "The largesse of the state/crown": Refers to generous financial support or benefits provided by a government or monarchy.
  • The project was only possible due to the largesse of the state.
• While "largesse" itself is not typically part of phrasal verbs, it is central to phrases describing acts of giving.

Noun

1. liberality in bestowing gifts; extremely liberal and generous of spirit
2. a gift or money given (as for service or out of benevolence); usually given ostentatiously