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benefic

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Pronunciation

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      Meanings

      Adjective

      1. helpful, favorable, or producing good effects

      2. in astrology, considered to have a favorable influence

      Beyond the definition

      Something benefic brings good things—real benefits. Think of a benevolent king who rules with kindness, or a beneficial rain that helps crops grow. "Benefic" describes anything that does good, whether it's an action, a person, or even the weather. A benefic influence is one that positively affects something else; for example, you might say a teacher had a benefic impact on her students' lives.

      The word comes from the Latin roots bene (good) and facere (to do), so it literally means "to do good." It's often used when you want to emphasize the positive effects of something, especially when those effects are long-lasting or significant. Think of a charitable donation as a benefic act—it's not just nice, it actively benefits others.

      Examples

      1. 1

        Astrology term

        In traditional astrology, Jupiter is usually described as a benefic planet.

        • Domainbenefic planet

          a planet believed to have a helpful influence

      2. 2

        Birth chart

        The astrologer said Venus was especially benefic in her chart this year.

      3. 3

        Opposing forces

        The old text contrasts benefic and malefic forces rather than good and evil.

      See also

      Similar

      Shades of meaning

      Contrast

      Used with (collocations)

      • benefic planet
      • benefic influence
      • benefic aspect

      Word family

      Explore

      • good fortune
      • protective influence

      Forms and spellings

      1 form open this card.

      Main spelling

      • beneficadjective