Word of the Day

: April 14, 2017

magnanimous

adjective mag-NAN-uh-mus

What It Means

1 : showing or suggesting a lofty and courageous spirit

2 : showing or suggesting nobility of feeling and generosity of mind

magnanimous in Context

Rather than gloat about her victory in the race, Michelle chose to be magnanimous and congratulated her opponents on their strong showings.

"Of course, all TV shows will one day end, and cancellation is part of the business. But similar to its streaming rival Netflix, Amazon has been unusually magnanimous with renewals, granting second and even third seasons to series that haven't exactly captured the cultural conversation…." — Meredith Blake, The Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2016

Did You Know?

When you see anima, animus, or a similar formation in a word, it's an indicator of something alive, lively, or spirited. Something described as animated is full of life, for example, and the word animal names a living, breathing thing. The Latin word animus means "soul" or "spirit." In magnanimous, that animus is joined by Latin magnus, meaning "great." Basically meaning "greatness of spirit," magnanimity is the opposite of pettiness. A truly magnanimous person can lose without complaining and win without gloating. Angry disputes can sometimes be resolved when one side makes a magnanimous gesture toward another.