alms
nounUK /ɑːmz/ · US /ɑmz/
Etymology From Middle English almes, almesse, ælmesse, from Old English ælmesse, from Proto-West Germanic *alemōsinā, a borrowing from Vulgar Latin *alemosyna, from Late Latin eleēmosyna, from Ancient Greek ἐλεημοσύνη (eleēmosúnē, “alms”), from ἐλεέω (eleéō, “to have mercy”), from ἔλεος (éleos, “mercy”). Compare Saterland Frisian Aalmoose (“alms”), Dutch aalmoes (“alms”), German Almosen (“alms”), Catalan almoina (“alms”), Portuguese esmola (“alms”), Galician esmola (“alms”), Spanish limosna (“alms”), French aumône (“alms”).
1
Something given to the poor as charity, such as money, clothing or food.
- She gave $10 weekly to the poor as alms, in an era when $10 was serious money.
- Alms are distributed from the weekly collection.
1 more example
- c. 1779, Alban Butler, Lives of the Saints St. Antoninus never refused an alms which was asked in the name of God.
- Derived terms
- almsdeed, alms-deed, alms-fee, almsfolk, alms-folk, almsful, almsgate, almsgift, almsgiver, almsgiving, almshouse, almsland, almsless, almsman, alms penny, almsroom, alms tub, almswoman, plough-alms, unalmsed
- Related terms
- eleemosynary