largesse
/lɑɹˈ(d)ʒɛs/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.31 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time; generosity, liberality.
Uncountable
noun
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.
Uncountable
noun
Abundance of something (chiefly beneficial), regarded as having been given generously.
Uncountable
noun
A specific gift of money, etc., given in this way, specifically (historical) at harvest time; a donation, a gratuity.
Countable
Example Sentences
- "There is no creature impure or vncleane, yf the conſcience of hym that vſeth it be pure and cleane. And albeit there were any impuritie in the meate, yet with himnes wherwith the larges of god is prayſed before meate and with holy wordes and prayers it ſhoulde be made holy and pure, that before was vncleane."
- "But vvhere the Plea of the Receivers is equal, and yet the Diſpenſation of the Benefits vaſtly unequal, there Men are taught that the thing received is Grace; and that they have no claim to it, but the courteſy of the Diſpenſer, and the largeſs of Heaven; vvhich cannot be queſtion'd, […]"
- "But the dynasty of the Gothic king is in equity and compassion, and his arithmetic is in largesse."
- "He [Gabriel Matzneff] was invited to the Élysée Palace by President François Mitterrand and socialized with the far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen. He benefited from the largess of the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, the business tycoon Pierre Bergé."
- "In such case, certainly I would accept / Your bounty: better I than alien hearts / Should execute your planned benevolence / To man, your proposed largess to the Church."
- "[F]or our coffers vvith too great a court, / And liberall larges are grovven ſomevvhat light, / VVe are inforſt to farm our royall Realme, / The reuenevv vvhereof ſhall furniſh vs, / For our affaires in hand […]"
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”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /lɑɹˈ(d)ʒɛs/
- British English: /lɑːˈ(d)ʒɛs/