: showing or suggesting a lofty and courageous spirit
the irreproachable lives and magnanimous sufferings of their followers Joseph Addison
2
: showing or suggesting nobility of feeling and generosity of mind
too sincere for dissimulation, too magnanimous for resentment Ellen Glasgow
magnanimouslyadverb
magnanimousnessnoun
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.
"No problem," I dismissed his concerns with a magnanimous flick of the wrist. Tom Perrotta, Joe College, 2000… and many of them retain a respectful Eisenhower-or-Kennedy-era view of America as Japan's usually magnanimous elder brother. James Fallows, Atlantic, August 1989… with the off-duty cops downing them as fast as he could pour, Leery could afford to be magnanimous and play the jukebox for the boys and girls. Joseph Wambaugh, The Delta Star, 1983Levesque was magnanimous in victory, immediately reassuring English-speaking Quebecers that they were still welcome in the province, an integral part of its history. Mordecai Richler, Atlantic, June 1983 She was too magnanimous to resent all the things others had said to her. a magnanimous donation to the town's animal shelter See More
Recent Examples on the WebGobert was magnanimous in his departure, graceful and grateful to the end. Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Sep. 2022 Remember: a good sandwich-maker is a magnanimous sandwich-maker. Ryan Chapman, The New Yorker, 15 July 2022 As María García, the steely yet magnanimous proprietor of a once-thriving tequila distillery in western Mexico, Sánchez, in her first lead role in a feature, is riveting from first scene to last. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 May 2022 McDermott finds a frighteningly effective balance between a magnanimous everyman who would be a scout leader and a deranged man who gives in to his darkest impulses of murdering and strangling women. Keith Nelson, Men's Health, 30 May 2022 That domain is left to Frances (Alison Oliver, in the breakout, Paul Mescal-esque role) and her magnanimous best friend/ex-girlfriend Bobbi (Sasha Lane). Michelle Ruiz, Vogue, 19 May 2022 Still, voluntarily allowing surgeons to carve into your otherwise healthy body to extract an organ and plug it into someone else is … what’s the word, magnanimous? Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 16 May 2022 Rosengart’s legal guidance has helped make possible this magnanimous humanitarian effort. Malina Saval, Variety, 20 Apr. 2022 Brown, magnanimous and soft-spoken, didn’t need any distractions from the only job that mattered: regaining mobility on the left side of his body.New York Times, 3 Mar. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Latin magnanimus, from magnus great + animus spirit — more at much, animate