beneficial - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

ben·e·fi·cial

Audio Help [ben-uh-fish-uh

l] Pronunciation Key

–adjective

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

Law.

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

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

[Origin: 1425–75; late ME < LL beneficiālis, equiv. to L benefici(um) kindness (see benefice) + -ālis -al¹

]

—Related forms

ben·e·fi·cial·ly, adverb

ben·e·fi·cial·ness, noun

—Synonyms 1. salutary, wholesome, serviceable, useful, favorable, profitable.

—Antonyms 1. harmful.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
beneficial

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

ben·e·fi·cial Audio Help (běn'ə-fĭsh'əl) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Producing or promoting a favorable result; advantageous.
Law Receiving or having the right to receive proceeds or other advantages.

[Middle English, from Old French beneficial, from Late Latin beneficiālis, from Latin beneficium, benefit; see benefice.]

ben'e·fi'cial·ly adv., ben'e·fi'cial·ness n.

Synonyms: These adjectives apply to what promotes a favorable result or gain. Beneficial is said of what enhances well-being: a trade agreement beneficial to all countries.
Profitable refers to what yields material gain or useful compensation: profitable speculation on the stock market.
Something advantageous affords improvement in relative position or in chances of success: found it socially advantageous to entertain often and well.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

beneficial
adjective
promoting or enhancing well-being; "an arms limitation agreement beneficial to all countries"; "the beneficial effects of a temperate climate"; "the experience was good for her"

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
beneficial [benəˈfiʃəl] adjective

having good effects
Example: Fresh air is beneficial to your health.

Arabic:	مُفيد، نافِع
Chinese (Simplified):	有益的
Chinese (Traditional):	有益的
Czech:	prospěšný, blahodárný
Danish:	velgørende
Dutch:	heilzaam
Estonian:	kasulik
Finnish:	suotuisa
French:	bon (pour)
German:	nützlich, wohltätig
Greek:	ευεργετικός
Hungarian:	hasznos
Indonesian:	pengaruh baik, bermanfaat
Italian:	benefico
Japanese:	有益な

Korean:	유익한
Latvian:	labvēlīgs; svētīgs; derīgs
Lithuanian:	naudingas, palankus
Norwegian:	fordelaktig, gunstig, velgjørende
Polish:	korzystny
Portuguese (Brazil):	benéfico
Portuguese (Portugal):	benéfico
Romanian:	benefic
Russian:	полезный
Slovak:	blahodarný
Slovenian:	blagodejen
Spanish:	beneficioso
Swedish:	välgörande, nyttig, fördelaktig
Turkish:	yararlı, faydalı, hayırlı

See also: beneficiary, "beneficial" in any language

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Beneficial

Ad*van"tage\ (?; 61, 48), n. [OE. avantage, avauntage, F. avantage, fr. avant before. See Advance, and cf. Vantage.]

1. Any condition, circumstance, opportunity, or means, particularly favorable to success, or to any desired end; benefit; as, the enemy had the advantage of a more elevated position.

Give me advantage of some brief discourse. --Shak.

The advantages of a close alliance. --Macaulay.

2. Superiority; mastery; -- with of or over.

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us. --2 Cor. ii. 11.

3. Superiority of state, or that which gives it; benefit; gain; profit; as, the advantage of a good constitution.

4. Interest of money; increase; overplus (as the thirteenth in the baker's dozen). [Obs.]

And with advantage means to pay thy love. --Shak.

Advantage ground, vantage ground. [R.] --Clarendon.

To have the advantage of (any one), to have a personal knowledge of one who does not have a reciprocal knowledge. "You have the advantage of me; I don't remember ever to have had the honor." --Sheridan.

To take advantage of, to profit by; (often used in a bad sense) to overreach, to outwit.

Syn: Advantage, Advantageous, Benefit, Beneficial.

Usage: We speak of a thing as a benefit, or as beneficial, when it is simply productive of good; as, the benefits of early discipline; the beneficial effects of adversity. We speak of a thing as an advantage, or as advantageous, when it affords us the means of getting forward, and places us on a "vantage ground" for further effort. Hence, there is a difference between the benefits and the advantages of early education; between a beneficial and an advantageous investment of money.

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