Benefit Meaning
/ˈbɛn.ɪ.fɪt/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounAn advantage; help or aid from something.
nounA payment made in accordance with an insurance policy or a public assistance scheme.
Sentence Examples
You should read such books as will benefit you.
Choose such friends as will benefit you.
We should spend the money on something that will benefit everyone.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Employees receive a health insurance ____ as part of their contract.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Working together will be a great ____ to all the members of the team.
Word Origin & History
From Late Middle English benefytt, benefett, alteration (due to Latin bene-) of benfet, bienfet, bienfait (“good or noble deed”), from Anglo-Norman benfet (“well-done”), Middle French bienfait, from Old French bienfet, bienfait (“foredeal, favour”), from past participle of bienfaire (“to do good, do well”), from bien (“well”) + faire (“to do”), modelled after Latin benefactum (“good deed”). More at benefactor.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"When this conversation was repeated in detail within the hearing of the young woman in question, and undoubtedly for his benefit, Mr. Trevor threw shame to the winds and scandalized the Misses Brewster then and there by proclaiming his father to have been a country storekeeper."
— 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter V, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
"For the trip over the grass-covered sleepers and between the cow-parsley and briars, an open wagon was added to the usual combination of locomotive and coach, for the benefit of those who wanted to take photographs."
— 1954 April, A. R. G. Hawkins, “The Easingwold Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 271:
"Gore Vidal […] will be sharing his wit and wisdom at the Arlington Street Church on Wednesday, April 5th at 7:00. The appearance is a benefit for the Boston/Boise Committee and the tickets are priced at $5."
— 1978 April 8, Eric Rogers, “People, Places and Flings”, in Gay Community News, page 13:
"The Birds, that liue i'th field / On the vvilde Benefit of nature, liue / Happier then vve; for they may chooſe their Mates, / And carroll their ſvveet pleaſures to the Spring: […]"
— 1612–1613 (date written), John Webster, The Tragedy of the Dutchesse of Malfy. […], London: […] Nicholas Okes, for Iohn Waterson, […], published 1623, →OCLC, Act III, scene v, signature [H3], recto:
"So, if Obodzinski is correct in saying that Mrs. Piela actually signed a document in the coffee shop, in front of witnesses, she staged a scene, pretending that it was the alleged Mandate. The other explanation is that none of this ever took place, and the staging was only a fictitious creation for the benefit of the Court."
— 2020 April 16, Gary D.D. Morrison, J.S.C., “Succession de Kalimbet Piela c. Obodzinski, 2020 QCCS 1222”, in CanLII, retrieved 09 May 2021:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Employees receive a health insurance ____ as part of their contract.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Working together will be a great ____ to all the members of the team.