adjective
- conferring benefit; advantageous; helpful: the beneficial effect of sunshine.
- Law.
- helpful in the meeting of needs: a beneficial association.
- involving the personal enjoyment of proceeds: a beneficial owner.
adjective
- (sometimes foll by to) causing a good result; advantageous
- law entitling a person to receive the profits or proceeds of propertya beneficial interest in land
mid-15c., “helpful, advantageous,” from Middle French bénéficial and directly from Latin beneficialis “pertaining to a favor,” from beneficium (see benefice). Related: Beneficially.