Word
philanthropist
Phoneticsphi·lan·thropist
US/fəˈɫænθɹəpəst/
UK/fɪlˈænθɹəpˌɪst/
Definitions
01a charitable donor
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. a person who gives a lot of money to help people or support charities.
n. a person who seeks to promote the welfare of others, especially by the generous donation of money to good causes.
“The local library was built thanks to a gift from a wealthy philanthropist.”
“The museum's new wing was funded entirely by an anonymous philanthropist who has supported the arts for decades.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02lover of humanity
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literary · Formal
n. someone who loves and cares about all humans.
n. one who possesses a general love for humankind; the literal, etymological sense of the term.
“He was a true philanthropist who believed in the goodness of every person.”
“In his philosophical essays, he presents himself as a philanthropist, arguing that the advancement of the species is the highest moral calling.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“Like Hershey, Chicago businessman Julius Rosenwald made his mark as a major philanthropist who emphasized giving low-income African American children access to education with the money he gave away.” “The time was right: Ceria, a social democrat Argentinian philanthropist with a PhD in mathematics from Carnegie and a professor at Columbia, had just sold his company for $850m.” “Library of Congress Many of Straus’ contemporary philanthropists were setting lofty goals for their giving.” Etymology
From philanthropy + -ist; compare French philanthrope.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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