beneficial

[ ben-uh-fish-uhl ]
See synonyms for: beneficialbeneficially on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. conferring benefit; advantageous; helpful: the beneficial effect of sunshine.

  2. Law.

    • helpful in the meeting of needs: a beneficial association.

    • involving the personal enjoyment of proceeds: a beneficial owner.

Origin of beneficial

1
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Late Latin beneficiālis, equivalent to Latin benefici(um) “kindness” (see benefice) + -ālis -al1

Other words for beneficial

Opposites for beneficial

Other words from beneficial

  • ben·e·fi·cial·ly, adverb
  • ben·e·fi·cial·ness, noun
  • non·ben·e·fi·cial, adjective
  • non·ben·e·fi·cial·ly, adverb
  • non·ben·e·fi·cial·ness, noun
  • qua·si-ben·e·fi·cial, adjective
  • qua·si-ben·e·fi·cial·ly, adverb
  • un·ben·e·fi·cial, adjective
  • un·ben·e·fi·cial·ly, adverb
  • un·ben·e·fi·cial·ness, noun

Words that may be confused with beneficial

Words Nearby beneficial

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use beneficial in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for beneficial

beneficial

/ (ˌbɛnɪˈfɪʃəl) /


adjective
  1. (sometimes foll by to) causing a good result; advantageous

  2. law entitling a person to receive the profits or proceeds of property: a beneficial interest in land

Origin of beneficial

1
C15: from Late Latin beneficiālis, from Latin beneficium kindness

Derived forms of beneficial

  • beneficially, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012