# beneficiary

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌbɛn.ɪˈfɪʃ.əɹ.i/ · frequency rank #17,767

## Definitions
1. One who benefits or receives an advantage.
2. One who benefits from the distribution, especially out of a trust or estate.
3. One who benefits from the payout of an insurance policy.

## Etymology
From Latin beneficiarius (“enjoying a favor, granted a privilege”) from beneficium (“benefit”), perhaps via or influenced by French bénéficiaire (“beneficiary”). Indirectly, by way of the etymology of the Latin word beneficium, the English word beneficiary ultimately has the same origin as the English word benefactor, its near antonym.

## Easily confused with
- **beneficial** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/beneficial-vs-beneficiary)

## Common misspellings (16)
`bbeneficiary`, `beenficiary`, `benefciiary`, `benefficiary`, `beneficairy`, `beneficciary`, `beneficiarry`, `beneficiaryy`, `beneficiayr`, `beneficiray`, `benefiicary`, `beneifciary`, `benfeiciary`, `benneficiary`, `bneeficiary`, `ebneficiary`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/beneficiary