Greathearted

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Noble and generous in spirit, showing courage and magnanimity toward others
2. Characterized by a spirit of generosity and kindness, exhibiting a willingness to assist others and displaying bravery in the face of adversity
3. Embodying a magnanimous nature with compassion for others, coupled with valor in challenging situations

Etymology: "Greathearted" is a plain compound: "great" joined to "hearted," the adjective formed from "heart." It comes from Middle English "gret-herted," which was built on the same pattern, so the word is an old English formation rather than a borrowing from Latin or French. Its sense of generosity and courage grows naturally from the older idea of a "great heart," in which the heart stood for a person's inner nature, feelings, and will. The second half, "-hearted," follows a common English pattern that describes a person by their inner disposition, as in "kind-hearted" or "faint-hearted." Attaching "great" to it marks someone whose disposition is large in scale, which is why the word came to pair generosity toward others with boldness in hard circumstances.

Synonyms: generous, magnanimous, kindhearted, big-hearted, philanthropic

Antonyms: mean, selfish, stingy, narrow-minded, petty