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Benefic comes from Latin beneficus, which in turn comes from bene ("well") and facere ("to do"). The word was originally used by astrologers to refer to celestial bodies believed to have a favorable influence, and it's still used in astrological contexts. Benefic, beneficial, and beneficent are all synonyms, but there are shades of difference. Beneficial usually applies to things that promote well-being (as in "a beneficial dietary plan"), or that provide some benefit or advantage ("advice that proved financially beneficial"). Beneficent means doing or effecting good (as in "a beneficent influence"), but in particular it refers to the performance of acts of kindness or charity ("a beneficent organization"). Benefic, the rarest of the three, tends to be a bit high-flown, and it's mostly used to describe a favorable power or force.
Synonyms
Examples of benefic in a Sentence
Aliza Kelly Faragher, Allure, 14 Aug. 2017
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'benefic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Benefic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/benefic. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
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