charity

¹

[char-i-tee]

noun

plural

charities 

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.

Charity

²

[char-i-tee]

noun

1. a female given name.

charity

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• charityless adjective
• overcharity noun
• procharity adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of charity¹

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; cherish, Kama, caress; -ity

Word History and Origins

Origin of charity¹

C13: from Old French charite, from Latin cāritās affection, love, from cārus dear

Example Sentences

“There’s been a massive surge of antisemitic incidents after the Oct. 7 attacks,” says Dave Rich, director of policy for the Community Security Trust, a charity that raises money to protect Jews in Britain.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Sunak - who remains the MP for Richmond and Northallerton - said he was "delighted" to be working "with two of the world's leading tech firms" and planned to donate his earnings to a charity he founded.

Read more on BBC

He would regularly see 'The Hitman' in some of the local pubs after his retirement and recalls how Hatton helped to raise funds for a charity which was supporting Sue's late son, who had cancer.

Read more on BBC

Local charities in each of the five winning areas will share a combined total of £1m to support their work.

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Lily and Annabel shared their names with Johnson’s biological daughters, while Angelina and Orlando were a nod to the kind of celebrities she sometimes rubbed shoulders with at charity galas.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• donation 
• endowment 
• fund 
• philanthropy