(adj.adv.) : gĕnĕrōsusa, um, adj.genus
* Of good or noble birth, noble, eminent (class.).
* 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.
* 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.
* Trop.
* 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.
* 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.

s. TLL