almoner

[ al-muh-ner, ah-muh- ]

/ ˈæl mə nər, ˈɑ mə- /

noun

a person whose function or duty is the distribution of alms on behalf of an institution, a royal personage, a monastery, etc.

British.

a hospital official who determines the amount due for a patient's treatment.
a social worker in a hospital.

Nearby words

almond meal, almond milk, almond oil, almond-eyed, almond-shaped, almoner, almoner's cupboard, almonry, almoravid, almoravide, almoravides

Origin of almoner

1250–1300; Middle English almoiner, aumoner (with insertion of l under influence of alms) < Old French aumon(i)er ≪ Late Latin eleēmosynārius eleemosynary

Related formssub·al·mon·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for almoner

Of all the holy legends there is none which I hate and despise with my whole soul so much as that of John the Almoner.
The Duel|A. I. Kuprin
The old usurer and his wife were drowned; the son and daughter, the two eunuchs, and the almoner were saved.
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 7 (of 10)|Franois-Marie Arouet (AKA Voltaire)
My mother was the benefactress of the poor, for miles around, and I was her almoner.
Alone|Marion Harland
But monsieur had better go to the ante-chamber at that hour and speak with the almoner, whom he will find there.
Lord Montagu's Page|G. P. R. James

The patronage permitted to Arthur was enormous: to a large extent he was the almoner of the crown.
The History of Tasmania, Volume I (of 2)|John West

British Dictionary definitions for almoner

almoner

/ (ˈɑːmənə) /

noun

British obsolete a trained hospital social worker responsible for the welfare of patients

(formerly) a person who distributes alms or charity on behalf of a household or institution

Word Origin for almoner

C13: from Old French almosnier, from almosne alms, from Vulgar Latin alemosina (unattested), from Late Latin eleēmosyna; see alms

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 almoner

almoner

"official distributor of alms on behalf of another," c.1300 (mid-13c. as a surname), from Old French almosnier (12c.; Modern French aumônerie), from Vulgar Latin *almosinarius, from Late Latin elemosinarius (adj.) "connected with alms," from eleemosyna "alms" (see alms).