gĕnĕrōsus a, um, adj. [genus], of good or noble birth, noble, eminent (class.).
I Lit.: generosa ac nobilis virgo (opp. mulier ignota), Cic. Par. 3, 1, 20: civili generosa ab stirpe profectus, id. Div. 1, 12, 20: generosissima femina, Suet. Tib. 49; cf.: viderat a veteris generosam sanguine Teucri Iphis Anaxareten, humili de stirpe creatus, Ov. M. 14, 698: non quia, Maecenas, nemo generosior est te ... naso suspendis adunco Ignotos, Hor. S. 1, 6, 2; cf. id. 24: quamquam ego naturam unam et communem omnium existimo, sed fortissimum quemque generosissimum, Sall. J. 85, 15: nominibus generosus avitis, Ov. Tr. 4, 4, 1: Maeoniā generose domo, Verg. A. 10, 141: miles, i. e. the Fabii , Ov. F. 2, 199: o generosam stirpem! Cic. Brut. 58, 213: atria, Ov. F. 1, 591: quis enim generosum dixerit hunc? Juv. 8, 30: sapiens et nobilis et generosus, id. 7, 191; 8, 224.—
B Transf., of animals, plants, etc., of a good or noble species , noble , superior , excellent (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose): sues, of a noble stock , Plin. 11, 40, 95, § 233: pecus, Verg. G. 3, 75: equus, Quint. 5, 11, 4; Symm. Ep. 4, 61: leones generosissimi, Plin. 10, 21, 24, § 47: testa (i. e. concha), Hor. S. 2, 4, 31: ostrea, Plin. 32, 6, 21, § 61: generosum et lene requiro (vinum), of a good sort , generous , Hor. Ep. 1, 15, 18; cf. vitis, Col. 3, 2 fin. ; 3, 2, 17: pruna, Ov. M. 13, 818; cf.: generosissima mala, Plin. 15, 17, 18, § 64: quod est pomum generosissimum? nonne quod optimum? Quint. 5, 11, 4: sorba, Plin. 15, 21, 23, § 85: obsonium, id. 15, 29, 35, § 118: arbor, Quint. 8, 3, 76: flos, Ov. F. 5, 211 al.: generosos palmite colles, id. M. 15, 710; cf.: insula inexhaustis Chalybum generosa metallis, Verg. A. 10, 174.—
II Trop.
A Of persons, noble-minded , magnanimous , generous : cum de imperio certamen esset cum rege generoso ac potente (Pyrrho), Cic. Off. 3, 22, 86; cf.: quid homo? nonne is generosissimus qui optimus? Quint. 5, 11, 4: Alexander generosi spiritus imperator, Plin. 8, 40, 61, § 149: quis enim generosum dixerit hunc qui Indignus genere, Juv. 8, 30.—
B Of things, noble , dignified , honorable : humilis et minime generosus ortus amicitiae, Cic. Lael. 9, 29: quaedam generosa virtus, id. Tusc. 2, 6, 16: Dolabella, vir simplicitatis generosissimae, Vell. 2, 125 fin. : quo generosior celsiorque est (animus), Quint. 1, 2, 3; id. 2, 4, 4: forma magnifica et generosa quodammodo, Cic. Brut. 75, 261; quoted by Suet. paraphrastically, Suet. Caes. 55: quicquid est in oratione generosius, Quint. prooem. 24: tamen emerui generosos vestis honores, i. e. the dress of honor (of a mother of three children), Prop. 4, 11, 61. —Hence, * adv.: gĕnĕrōse (acc. to II.), nobly : generosius Perire quaerens, Hor. C. 1, 37, 21.