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• charity
  charity

  noun

  generous actions or donations to aid people who are poor, ill, or needy.
• Charity
  Charity

  noun

  a female given name.

charity

¹ American  

[char-i-tee] / ˈtʃær ɪ ti /

noun

• charities
  plural

1. generous actions or donations to aid people who are poor, ill, or needy.

   to devote one's life to charity.

2. something given to a person or persons in need; alms.

   She asked for work, not charity.

3. a charitable act or work.

4. a charitable fund, foundation, or institution.

   He left his estate to a charity.

5. benevolent feeling, especially toward those in need or in disfavor.

   She looked so hungry that we fed her out of charity.

   Synonyms:

   aid, philanthropy, altruism, almsgiving, quarter, mercy, indulgence, lenity, leniency, clemency, sympathy, pity, benignity, humanity, goodwill, compassion, kindness, kindliness, benevolence, donation, dole, contribution, beneficence, benefaction

   Antonyms:

   malevolence

6. leniency in judging others; forbearance.

   She was inclined to view our selfish behavior with charity.

7. Christian love; agape.

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Charity ² American  

[char-i-tee] / ˈtʃær ɪ ti /

noun

1. a female given name.

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charity British  

/ ˈtʃærɪtɪ /

noun

1. 1. the giving of help, money, food, etc, to those in need

   2. ( as modifier )

      a charity show

2. 1. an institution or organization set up to provide help, money, etc, to those in need

   2. ( as modifier )

      charity funds

3. the help, money, etc, given to the needy; alms

4. a kindly and lenient attitude towards people

5. love of one's fellow men

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• overcharity
  noun
• charityless
  adjective
• procharity
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• charities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of charity

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English charite, from Old French charite, cherite, from Latin cāritāt- (stem of cāritās “high price, costliness, dearness, affection, esteem”), equivalent to cār(us) “costly, dear” + -itāt- noun suffix; see cherish, Kama, caress; see also -ity

Explanation

Charity is the donation of something, like money, to a cause or person in need. Before offering charity to someone, make sure he is, in fact, needy, and not just some fashion fiend dressed like a homeless person! Charity comes in many forms including monetary donation, volunteering, or providing clothes and food for those less fortunate. The Greek poet Homer said, “The charity that is a trifle to us can be precious to others.” Think of charity, then, as something that may cost you a little, but can benefit someone else greatly. Charity also refers to a nice way to treat people, an organization that helps people, or a plant with blue and white flowers.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

charity Charity charities

Mum-of-three Kay Devonshire-Murphy, from Fareham, said she stockpiled uniforms across the year from charity shops and second hand sales.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

The site is currently taking in 20 to 30 horses a month, and the charity across the UK saying it has seen a "160% surge in relinquished horses in recent years".

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

Children's charity Pelican Parcels, in Brighton and Hove, said it was set to double its school uniform support by the end of 2026 in response to "rising local demand".

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

Such long delays have an impact on their own work, finances and mental health, a survey for the Alzheimer's Society charity reveals.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

But it was not out of charity or a change of heart.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

“It’s difficult to maintain hope amid so much tragedy,” said a nun from Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity congregation, who was consoling survivors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

Well, they came here legally,” said Sister Sally Duffy, a Sister of Charity and active participant in the network.

From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026

The Charity Commission said the Al-Khair Foundation recorded an income of more than £74m in the financial year ending 31 July 2025.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

It comes weeks after it submitted a serious incident report to the Charity Commission over ongoing financial issues.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

When I would ask to stop, Grandma Charity would tell me her stories to keep me going.

From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson

Only a handful of US states mandate teaching of it, leading to a patchwork of different content and approaches across the country, so volunteers, teachers and charities are stepping up.

From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026

The “drop dead” and “u + me = <3” singer, 23, said all proceeds from the one-day fest will go to charities benefiting women and girls.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

Over several generations, government programs assumed functions previously performed by families, churches, mutual-aid societies, fraternal organizations and local charities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Brown's is no stranger to the country and hoped to raise £5,000 for three charities - MacMillan Cancer Support, St Luke's Hospice and Children's Hospice South West.

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

When he died in 1907, he left his large estate to various charities, including Middlesex County Medical Society.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

Related Words

• donation
• endowment
• fund
• philanthropy