goodwill

Meaning

Noun

• A favorably disposed attitude toward someone or something.
• The value of a business entity not directly attributable to its tangible assets and liabilities. This value derives from factors such as consumer loyalty to the brand.
• A concept used to refer to the ability of an individual or business to exert influence within a community, club, market or another type of group, without having to resort to the use of an asset (such as money or property), either directly or by the creation of a lien.

Related

Opposite words

• ill will

Origin

• From Middle English *goodwille, good wille, perhaps from Old English *gōdwille ("goodwill"); compare Old English gōdwillende ("well-pleased"); also Scots guidwilly, guidwillie, equivalent to good + will. Cognate with Scots guidwill ("goodwill"), Middle Low German gūtwille ("goodwill"), Old High German guotwilligi ("goodwill"), Old Danish godvilje ("goodwill"), Icelandic góðvilji, góðvili, Icelandic góðvild ("goodness").