Benevolence
Etymology
From Latin "benevolentia," combining "bene" (well) and "volens" (wishing, from "velle," to wish) — literally "well-wishing." The word wears its meaning on its sleeve: to be benevolent is to will good toward another. It entered English in the fifteenth century.
noun · /buh-NEV-uh-luhns/
A disposition of goodwill — the settled wish for others’ welfare.
What it names
Reach for it to name the kindly intention behind good acts, the well-wishing frame of mind from which help flows.
Example
The endowment reflected a benevolence that asked for no plaque and no thanks.
Related idea
Beneficence is doing good — the deed itself — while benevolence is wishing it. A ruler can be benevolent in heart yet fail at beneficence, or perform beneficent acts from cold calculation; the pair separates the wish from the work.