philanthropy

[fi-lan-thruh-pee]

noun

plural

philanthropies 

1. altruistic concern for human welfare and advancement, usually manifested by donations of money, property, or work to needy persons, by endowment of institutions of learning and hospitals, and by generosity to other socially useful purposes.

2. the activity of donating to such persons or purposes in this way.

   to devote one's later years to philanthropy.

3. a particular act, form, or instance of this activity.

   The art museum was their favorite philanthropy.

4. an organization devoted to helping needy persons or to other socially useful purposes.

philanthropy

/ ˈfɪlənˌθrəʊp, fɪˈlænθrəpɪ /

noun

1. the practice of performing charitable or benevolent actions

2. love of mankind in general

Other Word Forms

• philanthropist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of philanthropy¹

First recorded in 1600–10; earlier philanthropia, from Late Latin, from Greek philanthrōpía “benevolence, humane feeling”; phil-, anthropo-, -y ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of philanthropy¹

C17: from Late Latin philanthrōpia, from Greek: love of mankind, from philos loving + anthrōpos man

Example Sentences

I thought originally, business was about making money, philanthropy was about doing good, and that’s how I was going to save the world.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The 78-year-old CEO bought assets such as the London Eye, received a knighthood for philanthropy and enjoyed audiences with the king.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

County supervisors voted 4-0 Tuesday to create a fund, fueled by philanthropy, for workers and their families in small cities and unincorporated parts of the county.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Their targets include billionaire George Soros, whose Open Society Foundations are among the country’s largest philanthropies, and the Ford Foundation, another of the nation’s top grantmakers.

Read more on Salon

Beloved actors Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen became the first couple to jointly accept a prestigious award from the Television Academy honoring philanthropy at Sunday’s Emmy Awards.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• charity 
• generosity