English Reference
noun

philanthropist

n.
US /fəˈɫænθɹəpəst/ UK /fɪlˈænθɹəpˌɪst/ phi·lan·thropist UK spelling philanthropists

  1. 01 C1 Advanced Formal

    a person who gives a lot of money to help people or support charities.

    a person who seeks to promote the welfare of others, especially by the generous donation of money to good causes.

    Simple

    The local library was built thanks to a gift from a wealthy philanthropist.

    In context

    The museum's new wing was funded entirely by an anonymous philanthropist who has supported the arts for decades.

    miser
  2. 02 C2 Proficiency LiteraryFormal

    someone who loves and cares about all humans.

    one who possesses a general love for humankind; the literal, etymological sense of the term.

    Simple

    He was a true philanthropist who believed in the goodness of every person.

    In context

    In his philosophical essays, he presents himself as a philanthropist, arguing that the advancement of the species is the highest moral calling.

    misanthrope

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.

The Guardian· 17 Aug 2026

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 Conversation· 16 Jul 2026

From philanthropy + -ist; compare French philanthrope.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated