largess also largesse [lɑrˈdʒɛs, ˈlɑrdʒɪs] n.
1.) Liberality; generosity; bounty. [Obs.]
2.) A present; a gift; a bounty bestowed (Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary).
Etymology: Middle English largesse, from Old French, from large, generous, from Latin largus.
"Kim slunk away, his teeth in the bread, and, as he expected, he found a small wad of folded tissue-paper wrapped in oilskin, with three silver rupees—enormous largesse. He smiled and thrust money and paper into his leather amulet-case." (Kim, Rudyard Kipling, 1901).
19 comments:
me like the illustration you chose for this word, E (Edgar, Edmund, Erick, Edwin, Elton???) :)
Yes, the largesse of Lady Bountiful!
Another weird word :)
the trojans sure didn't get the largesse they expected :b
never heard of this word before!
learn something new everyday!
Finally a word which I know!!! - I feel proud of myself ;)
Sounds like a fun name to call a ... large.. person or thing :)
thanks for the lexical largesses you bestow upon us every day
sure you won't post any pics, this is a dictionary blog after all...
jos xx
Largessss, awesome word ;D
Trojan times were good times, for sure. Tactical inovation it was.
I've actually read and heard this one, so I knew what it meant. Also, people use that word to describe me and my actions... Due to Shari's largess, everyone at this party will have plenty to drink!
I love the excerpt you posted today, and this is a great word. I'll have to find ways to drop these into conversation from now on. I thought it would have French origins when I first saw the word too. And no worries, I'll be back to blogging soon! xxx
Love all the words you discover!
@DEZMOND i wish it was edmund. that'd be awesome!
@Intraman well-played, sir.
@jos xx it's an auteured dictionary blog, though, you have to admit. truth be told, i don't even own a digital camera.
A new word, a largesse to the writers. :D It's a good word.
If I get laid once a week, the little lady is showing extreme largess.
Hey, a word I've actually heard used!
"Thanks to the family’s largesse, Buster has studied everything from Native American tribal ceremonies to cartography - the mapping of uncharted territories." -Arrested Development, one of the funniest TV series ever.
When I first heard that line, I guessed what "largess" meant based on context, but now I can finally put a real definition to the word!
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