benefactor

noun

ben·​e·​fac·​tor ˈbe-nə-ˌfak-tər 

: someone or something that provides help or an advantage : one that confers a benefit

a benefactor of humankind

especially : a person who makes a gift or bequest

His endowments … placed him high among the benefactors of the convent.

—Jane Austen

a wealthy benefactor

Did you know?

A benefactor may be involved in almost any field. One may endow a scholarship fund; another may give money to expand a library; still another may leave a generous sum to a hospital in her will. The famous benefactions of John D. Rockefeller included the gifts that established the University of Chicago, the Rockefeller Foundation, and Rockefeller University. Many benefactors have reported that giving away their money turned out to be the most rewarding thing they ever did.

Synonyms of benefactor

• donor
• donator

Examples of benefactor in a Sentence

With the help of a rich benefactor he set up a charity.

an anonymous benefactor gave the school a dozen new computers

Recent Examples on the Web

He’s been called a thief, a benefactor, a commoner, a lord, a killer and a hero. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026

And then from behind him came Miuccia Prada, the co-creative director and owner of her namesake brand, one of the world’s great art collectors and high-cultural benefactors. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 9 June 2026

The question is, will their billionaire benefactors be so quick to write checks this time after coming up short again. — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 5 June 2026

And those benefactors could withdraw their support, too (within the bounds of their contracts, but good luck suing them). — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 2 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for benefactor

• chiropractor
• malefactor
• multifactor
• subcontractor
• acter
• actor
• factor
• tractor
• attractor
• cofactor
• compactor
• contactor

Kids Definition

benefactor

noun

bene·​fac·​tor

ˈben-ə-ˌfak-tər

: one who helps another especially by giving money