Definitions of magnanimous in some of the most authoritative dictionaries:
Oxford Dictionaries Online:
Generous or forgiving, especially towards a rival or less powerful person.
Dictionary.com (Random House Dictionary):
- Generous in forgiving an insult or injury; free from petty resentfulness or vindictiveness.
- High-minded; noble.
- Proceeding from or revealing generosity or nobility of mind, character, etc.
American Heritage Dictionary:
Highly moral, especially in showing kindness or forgiveness, as in overlooking insults or not seeking revenge.
And the Wikipedia entry for magnanimity:
The virtue of being great of mind and heart. It encompasses, usually, a refusal to be petty, a willingness to face danger, and actions for noble purposes. Its antithesis is pusillanimity.
All of the dictionaries define magnanimous as either generous, forgiving or all-encompassing moral (which may include courageous). Only the Wikipedia article has the explicit definition of courage in magnanimity.
My question is: is magnanimity the right word for courage, insight and willingness to overlook, accept or forgive? I am looking for a single word or two words (nouns) that expresses the same meanings as courage, insight and willingness to overlook or forgive combined.
Best Answer
Per my earlier comment, I don't make the "courage" connection myself, but it's in OED's second definition for magnanimous...
The first (still current) definition is generous in feeling or conduct; superior to petty resentment or jealousy, wherein it adds Also archaic: great or noble in spirit, ambition, or purpose. I think the Wikipedia article is misleading for current usage, but perhaps it's biased to deciphering old texts.
For the record, note that Wikipedia says "the antithesis [of magnanimity] is pusillanimity". But if you follow that Merriam-Webster link you'll find this list of antonyms for pusillanimous...
Magnanimous doesn't appear in that list - nor would I expect it to be there.