Beneficiary
/ˌbɛnɪˈfɪʃəri/
Definitions
A person or entity who receives or is entitled to receive a benefit, especially from a will, trust, or insurance policy.
/ˌbɛnɪˈfɪʃəri/
A person who receives a benefit.
John is the sole beneficiary of his grandmother's estate.
💡 Simply: Someone who gets something good.
More Examples
She named her daughter as the primary beneficiary of her life insurance policy.
How It's Used
"The beneficiary of the will received a substantial inheritance."
"The beneficiary of the life insurance policy received the payout after the death of the insured."
From Middle English *beneficiarie, from Old French *beneficiaire, from Latin *beneficium ('benefit, kindness'). The word's development reflects the historical connection between receiving a benefit and being a beneficiary.
Historically, the term was closely associated with charitable giving and religious institutions receiving donations.
Memory tip
Think of 'benefit' – the beneficiary gets the benefit.
Word Origin
"Doing good; conferring a benefit"