Eleemosyna
/ˌɛl.iˈmɒz.ɪ.nə/noun
A charitable gift or alms, especially in religious contexts.
Did you know?Eleemosyna passed through Late Latin and medieval Christian usage, and its root is the same Greek word behind English words for mercy and compassion.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mel-
“to care for, to be concerned with”
Ancient Greek
GR
ἐλεήμων (eleḗmōn) / ἔλεος (éleos)
“merciful; pity, compassion”
Late Latin
Latin
eleemosyna
“alms, charitable gift”
Old French
OF
elemosine
“alms; charity”
Middle English
English
almesse / almesse
“alms, charitable gift”
Modern English
English
eleemosynary
“relating to alms or charity”
Explore more surprising origins