Definition of LARGESSE

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The word largesse, which also can be spelled "largess" (as in our second example sentence), has been part of the English language since at least the 13th century. It derives via Anglo-French from the Latin word largus, meaning "abundant" or "generous." "Largus" is also the source of our word large. As far back as the 14th century, we used the word largeness as a synonym of "largesse" ("liberal giving"). In fact, that may have been the first sense of "largeness," which has since come to refer to physical magnitude and bulk more often than to magnanimity.

Examples of largesse in a Sentence

He relied on the largesse of friends after he lost his job.

Recent Examples on the Web

The new recipients of Tiffany’s largesse will now also include the rhinoceros and the lion, the latter of which found a new ambassador in Jordan Barrett. — Alessandra Codinha, Vogue, "New York Fashion Week Gets Wild With a Dinner for Tiffany & Co.," 9 Sep. 2018 Yet this largesse has not changed the economics of the electric car market. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "The Electric Kool-Aid Subsidy Test," 30 Dec. 2018 This previously unreported flood of loans highlights a clear pattern to Fred Trump’s largesse. — Susanne Craig, The Seattle Times, "Trump engaged in suspect tax schemes as he reaped riches from father," 2 Oct. 2018 Palm Springs pays tribute to the largesse of the Colorado River; the shrinking Salton Sea is a warning about its limits. — Mark Athitakis, latimes.com, "Joshua Wheeler aims to put overlooked southern New Mexico on the map in 'Acid West'," 13 Apr. 2018 But there’s another element to Sisakhti’s largesse. — Alfred Lubrano, Philly.com, "Germantown girls get prom dresses from fashion exec who changed his life to do good," 31 Mar. 2018 But the largesse has dried up under Maduro, who has tried to compensate by giving top-ranking officers an even bigger slice of power. — Washington Post, "Empty stomachs drive Venezuela soldiers to desert in droves," 18 May 2018 Political Obstacles With big hurdles standing in the way of that unprecedented political penalty, the idea of linking EU budget largesse to sound national justice systems has gained ground since surfacing in Germany and picking up French support. — Bloomberg.com, "President Trump Speaks at CPAC," 23 Feb. 2018 One of the biggest recipients of Dougherty’s continued largesse is Wolf, whose 2018 reelection campaign is seen as a must-win for Democrats. — Andrew Seidman, Philly.com, "Philly labor leader John 'Johnny Doc' Dougherty, under federal scrutiny, raises more campaign money than ever," 15 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'largesse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.