generous actions or donations to aid people who are poor, ill, or needy.
to devote one's life to charity.
something given to a person or persons in need; alms.
She asked for work, not charity.
a charitable act or work.
a charitable fund, foundation, or institution.
He left his estate to a charity.
benevolent feeling, especially toward those in need or in disfavor.
She looked so hungry that we fed her out of charity.
leniency in judging others; forbearance.
She was inclined to view our selfish behavior with charity.
Christian love; agape.
the giving of help, money, food, etc, to those in need
( as modifier )
a charity show
an institution or organization set up to provide help, money, etc, to those in need
( as modifier )
charity funds
the help, money, etc, given to the needy; alms
a kindly and lenient attitude towards people
love of one's fellow men
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
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.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Alternatively, for anyone looking for support that is independent from the police, you can contact Galop, the UK's LGBT+ anti-abuse charity."
From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026
Sermons and homilies still preach charity and mercy toward the weak, and rightly so; strip those out and nothing Christian survives.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026
“He always encouraged us to give back — to give to charity and just volunteer as much as possible.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026
For years the fishing industry resisted transparency, either to disguise illicit activity or simply to ensure competitors did not know about valuable hunting grounds, said Tony Long, CEO of charity Global Fishing Watch.
From Barron's • Jun. 17, 2026
I don't know why I hate taking money from someone my age even though it isn't charity.
From "The View From Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
