Definition: generous

Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

generous
     adj 1: willing to give and share unstintingly; "a generous
            donation" [ant: stingy]
     2: not petty in character and mind; "unusually generous in his
        judgment of people" [ant: ungenerous]
     3: more than adequate; "a generous portion"

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Generous \Gen"er*ous\, a. [F. g['e]n['e]reux, fr. L. generous of
   noble birth, noble, excellent, magnanimous, fr. genus birth,
   race: cf. It. generoso. See 2d Gender.]
   1. Of honorable birth or origin; highborn. [Obs.]

            The generous and gravest citizens.    --Shak.

   2. Exhibiting those qualities which are popularly reregarded
      as belonging to high birth; noble; honorable; magnanimous;
      spirited; courageous. ``The generous critic.'' --Pope.
      ``His generous spouse.'' --Pope. ``A generous pack [of
      hounds].'' --Addison.

   3. Open-handed; free to give; not close or niggardly;
      munificent; as, a generous friend or father.

   4. Characterized by generosity; abundant; overflowing; as, a
      generous table. --Swift.

   5. Full of spirit or strength; stimulating; exalting; as,
      generous wine.

   Syn: Magnanimous; bountiful. See Liberal. --
        Gen"er*ous*ly, adv. -- Gen"er*ous*ness, n.

GENEROUS, adj.  Originally this word meant noble by birth and was
rightly applied to a great multitude of persons.  It now means noble
by nature and is taking a bit of a rest.