Definition of: generous

(jen′ər·əs) adjective
1. Giving or bestowing heartily and munificently; munificent: a generous contributor.
2. Having noble qualities; honorable; high-minded: a generous nature.
3. Abundant; bountiful: a generous fare.
4. Obs. Of good descent: said either of men or of animals.
5. Having stimulating qualities; strong: generous wine. [<F généreux <L generosus of noble birth <genus. See GENUS.]
—gen′er·ous·ly adverb
—gen′er·ous·ness noun Synonyms: bountiful, chivalrous, disinterested, free, free-handed, free-hearted, liberal, magnanimous, munificent, noble, open-handed, open-hearted. Generous primarily signifies having the qualities worthy of noble or honorable birth; hence, free and abundant in giving, giving freely, heartily, and unselfishly. As regards giving, generous refers rather to the heartiness of the giver; liberal to the amount of the gift; a child may show himself generous in the gift of an apple, a millionaire makes a liberal donation; a generous gift, however, is commonly thought of as both ample and hearty. A munificent gift is vast in amount, whatever the motive of its bestowal. One may be free with another's money; he can be generous only with his own. Disinterested means without self-interest or selfish motive. One is magnanimous by a greatness of soul that rises above all that is poor, mean, or weak, and above resentment of injury or insult. Antonyms: avaricious, close, covetous, greedy, ignoble, illiberal, mean, miserly, niggardly, parsimonious, penurious, petty, rapacious, stingy.