philanthropy
Americannoun
plural
philanthropies-
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.
-
the activity of donating to such persons or purposes in this way.
to devote one's later years to philanthropy.
-
a particular act, form, or instance of this activity.
The art museum was their favorite philanthropy.
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an organization devoted to helping needy persons or to other socially useful purposes.
noun
-
the practice of performing charitable or benevolent actions
-
love of mankind in general
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of philanthropy
First recorded in 1600–10; earlier philanthropia, from Late Latin, from Greek philanthrōpía “benevolence, humane feeling”; see phil-, anthropo-, -y 3
Explanation
If you donate money to a charity or volunteer to help people in need, you can call your good deeds philanthropy. Philanthropy is made up of two parts — Greek phil, "loving" and anthrop, "mankind." It refers to the desire to help people or the actual deeds a person does to benefit mankind. Philanthropy most often refers to the large amounts of money the wealthy donate to causes such as world hunger or organizations like museums or animal shelters. A private organization that promotes the welfare of people can also be called a philanthropy.
Vocabulary lists containing philanthropy
The Vocabulary of College
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This Week in Words: May 5 - 11, 2018
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The Federalist Papers, No. 1 by Alexander Hamilton
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Turner’s personal legacy includes a decade-long marriage to Jane Fonda, his third, and a late-in-life shift to philanthropy and advocacy.
From Salon • May 8, 2026
Aside from his business and sports deals, Turner gained attention for his personal life and his later ventures focused on philanthropy and the environment.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
Fisher extended her distinct style to fine art and became an avid collector and later used her wealth in philanthropy.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
Australia - through public money and philanthropy - is now helping its neighbours, countries like Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea, pursue elimination too.
From BBC • May 1, 2026
Maybe the whole thing was a lesson about philanthropy.
From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman
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.
