adj · noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ˌbɛn.ɪˈfɪʃ.əɹ.i/
UK:/ˌbɛn.əˈfɪʃ.əɹ.i/
US:/ˌbɛn.ɪˈfɪʃ.ɚ.i/
US:/bɛn.əˈfɪʃ.iˌɚ.i/
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:B EH2 N AH0 F IH1 SH IY0 EH2 R IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Holding some office or valuable possession, in subordination to another; holding under a feudal or other superior; having a dependent and secondary possession.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Bestowed as a gratuity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Examples
beneficiary gifts
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
One who benefits or receives an advantage.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
You are the lucky beneficiary of this special offer.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
One who benefits from the distribution, especially out of a trust or estate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: especially trust law
Examples
If any beneficiary does not survive the settlor for a period of 30 days then the trustee shall distribute that beneficiary’s share to the surviving beneficiaries by right of representation.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
One who benefits from the payout of an insurance policy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: business, insurance
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adjective
Meaning 6
having or arising from a benefice
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a beneficiary baron
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
the semantic role of the intended recipient who benefits from the happening denoted by the verb in the clause
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: benefactive role
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: semantic role, participant role
8
noun
Meaning 8
the recipient of funds or other benefits
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
From Latin beneficiarius (“enjoying a favor, granted a privilege”) from beneficium (“benefit”), perhaps via or influenced by French bénéficiaire (“beneficiary”). Indirectly, by way of the etymology of the Latin word beneficium, the English word beneficiary ultimately has the same origin as the English word benefactor, its near antonym.
Across languages
Translations
62 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
مُسْتَفِيد
(mustafīd)
— one who receives an advantage
Catalan:
beneficiari
— one who receives an advantage
Finnish:
edunsaaja
— one who receives an advantage
Finnish:
hyödynsaaja
— one who receives an advantage
Finnish:
hyötyjä
— one who receives an advantage
Finnish:
vastaanottaja
— one who receives an advantage
French:
bénéficiaire
— one who receives an advantage
German:
Begünstigter
— one who receives an advantage
German:
Nutznießer
— one who receives an advantage
German:
Nutzenzieher
— one who receives an advantage
German:
Vorteilsnehmer
— one who receives an advantage
Hindi:
लाभार्थी
(lābhārthī)
— one who receives an advantage
Hungarian:
kedvezményezett
— one who receives an advantage
Italian:
beneficiario
— one who receives an advantage
Italian:
beneficiaria
— one who receives an advantage
Luxembourgish:
Beneficiaire
— one who receives an advantage
Polish:
beneficjent
— one who receives an advantage
Polish:
beneficjant
— one who receives an advantage
Russian:
выгодоприобрета́тель
(vygodopriobretátelʹ)
— one who receives an advantage
Russian:
выгодоприобрета́тельница
(vygodopriobretátelʹnica)
— one who receives an advantage
Russian:
бенефициа́р
(beneficiár)
— one who receives an advantage
Russian:
выгодополуча́тель
(vygodopolučátelʹ)
— one who receives an advantage
Russian:
выгодополуча́тельница
(vygodopolučátelʹnica)
— one who receives an advantage
Serbo-Croatian:
korisnik
— one who receives an advantage
Serbo-Croatian:
korisnica
— one who receives an advantage
Serbo-Croatian:
beneficijar
— one who receives an advantage
Spanish:
beneficiario
— one who receives an advantage
Spanish:
beneficiaria
— one who receives an advantage
Ukrainian:
бенефіціа́р
(beneficiár)
— one who receives an advantage
Welsh:
buddiolwr
— one who receives an advantage
Yiddish:
באַקומער
(bakumer)
— one who receives an advantage
Catalan:
beneficiari
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Chinese Mandarin:
受益人
(shòuyìrén)
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Dutch:
begunstigde
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Finnish:
perillinen
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Finnish:
edunsaaja
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
French:
bénéficiaire
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
German:
Nutznießer
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
German:
Nutznießerin
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Hindi:
लाभार्थी
(lābhārthī)
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Hungarian:
haszonélvező
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Norman:
ayant-drouait
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Polish:
beneficjent
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Polish:
beneficjant
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Portuguese:
beneficiário
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Portuguese:
beneficiado
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Russian:
бенефициа́р
(beneficiár)
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Russian:
выгодоприобрета́тель
(vygodopriobretátelʹ)
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Russian:
выгодоприобрета́тельница
(vygodopriobretátelʹnica)
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Russian:
бенефициа́рий
(beneficiárij)
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Serbo-Croatian:
beneficijar
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Slovene:
upravičenec
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Slovene:
upravičenka
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Slovene:
koristnik
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Slovene:
koristnica
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Spanish:
beneficiario
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Swedish:
förmånstagare
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Telugu:
లబ్ధిదారుడు
(labdhidāruḍu)
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Welsh:
cymyndderbyniwr
— one who benefits from the distribution, especially of an estate
Bulgarian:
бенефициент
(beneficient)
— one who benefits from the payout of an insurance policy
Chinese Mandarin:
受益人
(shòuyìrén)
— one who benefits from the payout of an insurance policy
Ukrainian:
вигодонабува́ч
(vyhodonabuváč)
— one who benefits from the payout of an insurance policy
