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benefit definition

ben·efit (ben′ə fit, -fət)

noun

  1. Archaic a kindly, charitable act; benefaction
    1. gain or advantage tax legislation for the benefit of the rich
    2. a favorable or beneficial circumstance, condition, or result several benefits to good nutrition
  3. fringe benefit
  4. payments made by an insurance company, public agency, welfare society, etc. as during sickness, retirement, unemployment, etc. or for death
  5. any public performance, bazaar, dance, etc. the proceeds of which are to help a certain person, group, or cause

Etymology: ME benefet < OFr bienfait, a kindness < L benefactum, meritorious act < benefacere: see benefaction

transitive verb benefited -·fited, benefiting -·fit·ing

to do good to or for; aid

intransitive verb

to receive advantage; profit

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

business benefit definition - business

idioms benefit idiom

law benefit definition - legal

benefit Synonyms

benefit

modif.

(for) charity, for a good or worthy cause, in one's favor.


benefit

n.

  1. Advantage

    gain, profit, good, interest; see advantage 3.

  2. Charitable affair

    charity ball, benefit performance, donor dinner, donor lunch, dance, fair, bazaar, exhibit, exhibition, raffle, concert.

  3. A payment or favor received in addition to wages; often plural

    fringe benefit, perquisite, extra, bonus, compensation, privilege, perk*.


benefit

v.

serve, profit, avail; see help 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

benefit Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • hindsight: The list of mistakes is a long one, even without the benefit of hindsight.

Converse of object

  • reap: Too often companies reap benefits at the expense of poor people overseas.

Adjective modifier

  • added: In most cases researchers will not need the added benefit of a stereo recording.

Modifies a noun

  • fraud: Help Basingstoke & Deane crack down on benefit fraud.

Noun used with modifier

  • incapacity: Crucially, those already receiving an incapacity benefit can participate voluntarily.
benefit usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

benefit quotes

Hashenot a rogue'sface?†a haunting-look tome†has a damned Tyburn-face, without the benefit o'the Clergy.

-Congreve,William

Quid confert animae pugna Hectoris, vel disputatio Platonis, aut carmina Maronis, vel neniae Nasonis? Of what benefit to the soul are the struggles of Hector, the disputations of Plato, the songs of Virgil, or the dirges of Ovid?

-Honorius of Autun

America came up with the idea of therapeutic avant- gardism, and built museums in its name. These temples stood on two pillars. The first was aestheticism† The second was the familiar one of social benefit.

-Hughes, Robert Studley Forrest

benefit quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"benefit." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/benefit>

APA Style

benefit. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/benefit

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