behalf

UK: /bɪˈhæf/, /bɪˈhɑːf/ US: /bɪˈhæf/ ,(bi haf′, -häf′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

be•half /bɪˈhæf/   n. 

[uncountable]

Idioms

1. Idioms in or on behalf of. Also, in or on someone's behalf. as a representative of (someone);
   (speaking) in place of or for:
   On behalf of the president, who could not be with us tonight, I am happy to be speaking to you.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

be•half  (bi haf′, -häf′), n. 

1. Idioms in or on behalf of, as a representative of or a proxy for:
   On behalf of my colleagues, I address you tonight.
2. Idioms in or on (someone's) behalf, in the interest or aid of (someone):
   He interceded in my behalf.

• 1400–50; late Middle English; Middle English bihalve, earlier as adverb, adverbial and preposition with the sense "near(by),'' origin, originally as preposition phrase bi halve on one side; see be-, by, half

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

behalf / bɪˈhɑːf/ noun

1. interest, part, benefit, or respect (only in the phrases on (someone's) behalf, onor US and Canadianin behalf of, in this (orthat) behalf)

Etymology: Old English be halfe from be by + halfe side; compare Old Norse af halfuUSAGE
On behalf of is sometimes wrongly used where on the part of is intended. The distinction is that on behalf of someone means 'for someone's benefit' or 'representing someone', while on the part of someone can be roughly paraphrased as 'by someone'. So, the following example is incorrect: another act of apparent negligence, this time not on behalf of the company itself, but on behalf of its banker, when what was meant was there was negligence by the company's banker