charitable

[char-i-tuh-buh l]

adjective

generous in donations or gifts to relieve the needs of indigent, ill, or helpless persons, or of animals: a charitable man giving much money to feed the poor.
kindly or lenient in judging people, acts, etc.: charitable in his opinions of others.
pertaining to or concerned with charity: a charitable institution.

Origin of charitable

1300–50; Middle English < Old French, equivalent to charit(e) charity + -able -able

Related formschar·i·ta·ble·ness, nounchar·i·ta·bly, adverbnon·char·i·ta·ble, adjectivenon·char·i·ta·ble·ness, nounnon·char·i·ta·bly, adverbo·ver·char·i·ta·ble, adjectiveo·ver·char·i·ta·ble·ness, nouno·ver·char·i·ta·bly, adverbpseu·do·char·i·ta·ble, adjectivepseu·do·char·i·ta·bly, adverbqua·si-char·i·ta·ble, adjectivequa·si-char·i·ta·bly, adverb

Synonyms

See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com

1. beneficent, liberal, bountiful, benevolent. 2. broad-minded, considerate, mild.

Synonym study

1. See generous.

Antonyms

1. selfish. 2. severe, intolerant.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for charitably

Contemporary Examples

To put it charitably, this is the jurisprudence of the simpleton.
Who to Blame for Donald Sterling and Cliven Bundy
Robert Shrum
April 30, 2014
His relationship with Romney, a fellow Mormon and longtime acquaintance, can be charitably described as frosty.
Mitt Romney’s Unruly Surrogates
Lloyd Grove
May 31, 2012

Historical Examples

They might have been of pity, but were not so charitably interpreted.
The Memoirs of Louis XIV., His Court and The Regency, Complete
Duc de Saint-Simon
"Perhaps she's only tired though," thought Janie charitably.
The New Girl at St. Chad's
Angela Brazil
"It's a very natural one, I am afraid," said Mr. Everett charitably.
In Blue Creek Caon
Anna Chapin Ray
She thought she saw through all this, and she could interpret it all charitably.
Elsie Venner
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
The farmer believed the falsehood, and charitably gave them a good dinner.
The Runaway
Unknown

British Dictionary definitions for charitably

charitable

adjective

generous in giving to the needy
kind or lenient in one's attitude towards others
concerned with or involving charity

Derived Formscharitableness, nouncharitably, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for charitably

charitable

adj.

c.1200, in reference to the Christian virtue, from Old French charitable, from charité (see charity). Meaning "liberal in treatment of the poor" is from c.1400; that of "inclined to impute favorable motives to others" is from 1620s. Related: Charitableness; charitably.

charitable

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}charitable

Synonyms

Synonym study

Antonyms

Examples from the Web for charitably

Contemporary Examples

To put it charitably, this is the jurisprudence of the simpleton.

His relationship with Romney, a fellow Mormon and longtime acquaintance, can be charitably described as frosty.

Historical Examples

They might have been of pity, but were not so charitably interpreted.

"Perhaps she's only tired though," thought Janie charitably.

"It's a very natural one, I am afraid," said Mr. Everett charitably.

She thought she saw through all this, and she could interpret it all charitably.

The farmer believed the falsehood, and charitably gave them a good dinner.

charitable

Word Origin and History for charitably

charitable

adj.

Origin of charitable