beneficiary

Meanings

Noun

• One who benefits or receives an advantage.
• One who benefits from the distribution, especially out of a trust or estate.
• One who benefits from the payout of an insurance policy.

Adjective

• Holding some office or valuable possession, in subordination to another; holding under a feudal or other superior; having a dependent and secondary possession.
• Bestowed as a gratuity.

Related

Opposite words

• maleficiary

Origin

• From Latin beneficiarius ("enjoying a favor, granted a privilege") from beneficium, 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.