noun · 9 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.
Received-Pronunciation:/lɑːˈ(d)ʒɛs/
General-American:/lɑɹˈ(d)ʒɛs/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛs
CMU ARPABET:L AA0 R G EH1 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time; generosity, liberality.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Often preceded by do, give, or make: the generous or liberal giving of gifts or money, especially by someone of high standing on a special occasion; also, excessive or wasteful giving.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Money, etc., given in this way.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Abundance of something (chiefly beneficial), regarded as having been given generously.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: bounty
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
Chiefly in the form at one's largesse: freedom or liberty to act.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
An act of donating or giving generously.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A specific gift of money, etc., given in this way, specifically (historical) at harvest time; a donation, a gratuity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: also, countable, figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
liberality in bestowing gifts; extremely liberal and generous of spirit
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
a gift or money given (as for service or out of benevolence); usually given ostentatiously
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: largess
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: gift
History
Etymology
From Middle English larges, largess, largesse [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman largece, largesce, Middle French largece, largesce, largesse, and Old French largesce (“breadth, width; request for a monetary gift; (act of) generous giving; (chiefly in the plural) generous gift; generosity, liberality”) (in Anglo-Norman also “liberty; privilege”; modern French largesse), from large (“big, large; generous; wide”).
Across languages
Translations
51 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Belarusian:
шчо́драсць
(ščódrascʹ)
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Bulgarian:
ще́дрост
(štédrost)
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Chinese Mandarin:
樂善好施 /乐善好施
(lèshànhàoshī)
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Czech:
štědrost
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Dutch:
gulheid
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Finnish:
runsaskätisyys
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Finnish:
avokätisyys
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Finnish:
anteliaisuus
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
French:
largesse
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Galician:
largueza
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Galician:
xenerosidade
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Georgian:
ხელგაშლილობა
(xelgašliloba)
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Georgian:
გულუხვობა
(guluxvoba)
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
German:
Großzügigkeit
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Latin:
dōnātīvum
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Macedonian:
даре́жливост
(daréžlivost)
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Macedonian:
велико́душност
(velikódušnost)
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Macedonian:
ште́дрост
(štédrost)
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Polish:
hojność
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Polish:
szczodrość
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Portuguese:
largueza
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Portuguese:
generosidade
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Russian:
ще́дрость
(ščédrostʹ)
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Slovak:
štedrosť
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Spanish:
largueza
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Turkish:
ahilik
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Turkish:
bonkörlük
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Turkish:
cömertlik
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Turkish:
eli açıklık
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Turkish:
mürüvvet
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Turkish:
semahat
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Ottoman Turkish:
جومردلك
(cömerdlik)
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Ottoman Turkish:
ویركی
(vergi)
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Ukrainian:
ще́дрість
(ščédristʹ)
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Welsh:
haelioni
— (uncountable) trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time — see also generosity, liberality
Finnish:
avokätisyys
— (uncountable) generous or liberal giving of gifts or money
Finnish:
runsaskätisyys
— (uncountable) generous or liberal giving of gifts or money
Finnish:
anteliaisuus
— (uncountable) generous or liberal giving of gifts or money
Welsh:
haelioni
— (uncountable) generous or liberal giving of gifts or money
Finnish:
haaskaaminen
— (uncountable) excessive or wasteful giving
Finnish:
tuhlaaminen
— (uncountable) excessive or wasteful giving
Finnish:
lahjaraha
— (uncountable) money, etc., given in this way
Latin:
largītiō
— (uncountable) money, etc., given in this way
Finnish:
antelias lahjoittaminen
— (countable) act of donating or giving generously
Czech:
dar
— (countable) specific gift of money, etc., given in this way
Dutch:
gulle giften
— (countable) specific gift of money, etc., given in this way
Finnish:
lahja
— (countable) specific gift of money, etc., given in this way
French:
largesses
— (countable) specific gift of money, etc., given in this way
Italian:
elargizione
— (countable) specific gift of money, etc., given in this way
Macedonian:
по́дарок
(pódarok)
— (countable) specific gift of money, etc., given in this way
Māori:
whakahiku
— (countable) specific gift of money, etc., given in this way
