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

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 Five Star Movement leader Luigi Di Maio promised a shift back to government largesse. — Bloomberg.com, "Five Star Plans to Boost Public Spending: Italy Campaign Trail," 1 Mar. 2018 Without Venezuela’s largesse, Mr Ortega can no longer maintain the public spending that kept dissent at bay. — The Economist, "The violent end of Daniel Ortega’s decade of quiet," 26 Apr. 2018 The bag could contain anything—a lucky gift of largesse, a biro, an apron, chilli sauce, a copy of next month’s gossip magazine. — A.a. Gill, A-LIST, "Fraught, But It Counts," 4 July 2018 Jordan can no longer count on Gulf largesse, like a $5bn grant offered in the first days of the Arab Spring in 2011. — The Economist, "Jordan’s King Abdullah tries to calm an angry public," 6 June 2018 Leonard is eligible for a five-year, $219 million extension this offseason, a largesse only the Spurs can offer him. — Jeff Mcdonald, San Antonio Express-News, "Spurs aim to hang onto Leonard — for now," 22 June 2018 Some Palestinians fear that this American largesse could depend on Jordan eventually revoking their status as refugees. — The Economist, "The UN’s refugee agency for Palestinians is running out of cash," 21 June 2018 In fact, the biggest beneficiary of Starbucks’s largesse was Arizona State University. — Sarah Jones, The New Republic, "Howard Schultz’s Third Way," 6 June 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.