alms

[ahmz]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR alms ON THESAURUS.COM

noun (used with a singular or plural verb)

money, food, or other donations given to the poor or needy; anything given as charity: The hands of the beggars were outstretched for alms.

Nearby words

Origin of alms

before 1000; Middle English almes, almesse, Old English ælmesse (compare Old Saxon alamōsna, Old High German alamuosa, Dutch aalmoes; Old Spanish almosna) ≪ Late Latin eleēmosyna < Greek eleēmosýnē compassion, alms, derivative of éleos pity. See eleemosynary

Can be confusedalms arms

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

Examples from the Web for alms

Another piece might cause people to come up short is an elaborate green Burmese Buddhist alms bowl on a stand covered in gold.
Hello, ‘Gorgeous’: Grit and Glamour In San Francisco|Emily Wilson|June 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It stands almost as a suppliant for the alms of approval of other races.
A Noble Woman|Ernest Protheroe
It was a settled thing at their relief committee that there should be no giving away of money to chance applicants for alms.
Castle Richmond|Anthony Trollope
The valiant prelate passed the rest of his days in seclusion, supported by the alms of the faithful.
The Jesuits, 1534-1921|Thomas J. Campbell

A peasant woman stood by the path as they proceeded, holding out her hand for alms, as she ran beside the general's horse.
The Captain of the Janizaries|James M. Ludlow
It is much more satisfactory to receive the latter as a direct result of the former, than as a kind of alms.
A New Atmosphere|Gail Hamilton

British Dictionary definitions for alms

alms

pl n

charitable donations of money or goods to the poor or needy

Word Origin for alms

Old English ælmysse, from Late Latin eleēmosyna, from Greek eleēmosunē pity; see eleemosynary

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 alms

alms

Old English ælmesse "alms, almsgiving," from Proto-Germanic *alemosna (cf. Old Saxon alamosna, Old High German alamuosan, Old Norse ölmusa), an early borrowing of Vulgar Latin *alemosyna (source of Old Spanish almosna, Old French almosne, Italian limosina), from Church Latin eleemosyna (Tertullian, 3c.), from Greek eleemosyne "pity, mercy," in Ecclesiastical Greek "charity, alms," from eleemon "compassionate," from eleos "pity, mercy," of unknown origin, perhaps imitative of cries for alms. Spelling perversion in Vulgar Latin is perhaps by influence of alimonia.