In the spirit of Thanksgiving the family made a magnanimous donation to the Moose Jaw & District Food Bank. They had been on the receiving end of so many spiritual and material blessings over the past year that they desired to share with others a portion of the benefits they had so wondrously enjoyed.
When magnanimous is used today it is most often means generous. The Thanksgiving season is a time many people give magnanimous donations of money or time in their support of social causes, especially food banks and homeless shelters.
When magnanimous entered the English language in the 1500s it was connected more to a feeling of the mind or spirit. The dictionary definition is showing or suggesting a lofty and courageous spirit and showing or suggesting nobility of feeling and generosity of mind. People described the various religious martyrs of the 16th century, during the Protestant Reformation, as people being fearless and magnanimous in their sufferings. The word also had a sense of a forgiving spirit. She was too magnanimous for resentment and retribution to those who castigated her actions without understanding.
When you observe animous, anima, animus in an English word it’s an indicator of something lively or spirited. Something designated as animated is full of life. Animal refers to a living thing. All this comes from the Latin word anima meaning breath or soul and animus meaning spirit. In magnanimous, animous if joined with the Latin root magnus, meaning great. Thus, a magnanimous person has greatness of spirit. A magnanimous player can lose without complaining and win without gloating. Disputes can be resolved if one person makes a magnanimous gesture toward the other. Synonyms for magnanimous are elevated, gallant, great-hearted, lofty, high-minded.
Magnanimity is the quality of being magnanimous. This is the virtue of being great of mind and heart. It encompasses a refusal to be petty, a willingness to face danger for noble purposes. These are qualities all of us can improve upon in our own lives.
The opposite of magnanimity is pusillanimity. A pusillanimous person lacks courage and resolution and is marked by contemptible timidity. This is someone who has a small, weak spirit, someone whose reserve of inner strength is too small to draw from in times of danger and adversity. In the 1970s when U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew famously accused his ideological rivals of "pusillanimous pussyfooting.”
Magnanimity is greatness of mind according to lexicographer Noah Webster. It is that elevation or dignity of soul, which encounters danger and trouble with tranquility and firmness, which raises the possessor above revenge, and makes him delight in acts of benevolence, which makes him disdain injustice and meanness, and prompts him to sacrifice personal ease, interest, and safety for the accomplishment of useful and noble objects.
Perhaps in this Thanksgiving season we can learn to be magnanimous people in our family relationships, sporting events, and social contacts. I encourage you to share in a magnanimous manner. Share with family and friends. Share with those who are struggling in our current economic climate. Remember, the turkey gave in a magnanimous way . . . he gave his all.
John would like to know if anyone has a sincere interest in a relevant word that he could possibly research for an upcoming column. If so, please send your requests to wordwisdom2021@gmail.com. Words will be selected according to relevance and research criteria. We cannot confirm that all words will be used.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
