GENEROUS

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does generous mean? 

• GENEROUS (adjective)
  The adjective GENEROUS has 3 senses:

1. willing to give and share unstintingly

2. not petty in character and mind

3. more than is usual or necessary

  Familiarity information: GENEROUS used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GENEROUS (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Willing to give and share unstintingly

Context example:

a generous donation

Similar:

benevolent; freehearted (generous in providing aid to others)

big; bighearted; bounteous; bountiful; freehanded; giving; handsome; liberal; openhanded (given or giving freely)

lavish; munificent; overgenerous; too-generous; unsparing; unstinted; unstinting (very generous)

unselfish (not greedy)

Also:

charitable (full of love and generosity)

generous (not petty in character and mind)

unselfish (disregarding your own advantages and welfare over those of others)

Attribute:

generosity; generousness (the trait of being willing to give your money or time)

Antonym:

stingy (unwilling to spend (money, time, resources, etc.))

Derivation:

generosity (acting generously)

generousness (the trait of being willing to give your money or time)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Not petty in character and mind

Context example:

unusually generous in his judgment of people

Similar:

big; large; magnanimous (generous and understanding and tolerant)

ungrudging (without envy or reluctance)

Also:

generous (willing to give and share unstintingly)

Antonym:

ungenerous (lacking in magnanimity)

Derivation:

generosity; generousness (the trait of being willing to give your money or time)

Sense 3

Meaning:

More than is usual or necessary

Context example:

a generous portion

Similar:

ample (more than enough in size or scope or capacity)

 Context examples 

Then, he's such a generous, fine, noble fellow, said I, quite carried away by my favourite theme, that it's hardly possible to give him as much praise as he deserves.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The first date will be December 15 when Uranus, the planet of surprise news will reach out to generous Jupiter in the most harmonious way possible.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Two nights later came the act, but on a more generous scale than the master had anticipated.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

You are so big and generous that you challenge me to equal generousness.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

"With that searching and yet faithful and generous look, you torture me!"

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

"If you really persist in your generous view," said the Professor, "I should found a private museum, which has long been one of my dreams."

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You are so generous and kind-hearted that you let people borrow, and can't say 'No' to anyone.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

My generous friend reassured the suppliant, and on being informed of the name of her lover, instantly abandoned his pursuit.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

After a short pause, her companion added, You are too generous to trifle with me.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

She was generous, amiable, interesting: she was everything but prudent.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)