behalf

noun

be·​half bi-ˈhaf 

-ˈhäf,

bē-

: interest, benefit

also : support, defense

argued in his behalf

On Behalf of vs. in Behalf of: Usage Guide

A body of opinion favors in with the "interest, benefit" sense of behalf and on with the "support, defense" sense. This distinction has been observed by some writers but overall has never had a sound basis in actual usage. In current British use, on behalf (of) has replaced in behalf (of); both are still used in American English, but the distinction is frequently not observed.

Phrases

on behalf of or in behalf of

: in the interest of

also : as a representative of

I wrote the letter on behalf of my client.

Examples of behalf in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Meta Platforms on behalf of an Amherst professor who wants to release a tool that enables users to unfollow all the content fed to them by Facebook’s algorithm. —Barbara Ortutay, Fortune, 2 May 2024

Each award consists of an unrestricted $75,000 cash prize and residency at CalArts (California Institute of the Arts), which has administered the prize on behalf of the Herb Alpert Foundation since 1994. —Paul Grein, Billboard, 2 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from by + half half, side

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing behalf

• in behalf of
• in behalf of someone
• in someone's behalf
• on behalf of
• on behalf of someone
• on someone's behalf

Kids Definition

behalf

noun

be·​half bi-ˈhaf 

-ˈhȧf

: useful aid : support

spoke in my behalf