Generously

/ˈdʒɛnərəsli/

adverbmediumCommonGeneral

Definitions

1

In a way that shows a readiness to give more of something, such as money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected.

/ˈdʒɛnərəsli/

adverbpositivemedium
General

In a generous manner

He generously offered his time to help the homeless shelter.

💡 Simply: When someone gives you a lot of something, like a big hug, a big slice of cake, or a large sum of money, and they don't have to! It means they are giving in a kind and sharing way. For example, imagine your friend generously shares their candy with you. They're not being stingy, they want you to have some, too!

👶 For kids: When you share something nicely, like your toys or snacks, with other people. It means you are happy to give some away.

More Examples

2

The company generously rewarded its employees for their hard work.

3

She generously donated a large sum of money to the school.

How It's Used

General

"She donated generously to the charity."

Business

"The company compensated its employees generously."

Idioms & expressions

generous to a fault

Excessively generous to the point of being detrimental or careless.

"He was generous to a fault, giving away all his money and ending up in debt."

From Middle English generos, from Old French genereux, from Latin generosus ('of noble birth, generous'), from genus ('race, kind').

The term has long been associated with acts of charity, kindness, and openhandedness, appearing in literature and legal contexts to describe fair distribution or charitable acts.

Memory tip

Think of a person giving gifts with a big heart—they're being generous!

Word Origin

Root: genus

generoslygeneroulsy

Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written