Eleemosynary
/ˌɛl.iˈmɒs.ɪ.nər.i/noun
Relating to charity or alms; charitable in nature.
Did you know?Eleemosynary comes through Latin from the Greek word for “pity” and “alms,” so one of English’s most formal charity-words was built from a root tied to compassion for the suffering.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mel-
“to care, to be concerned with; to be mindful of”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἐλεήμων (eleḗmōn)
“compassionate, merciful”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἐλεημοσύνη (eleēmosýnē)
“pity, almsgiving, charity”
Late Latin
Latin
eleemosyna
“alms, charity”
Middle English
English
elemosinerie
“charitable; relating to alms”
Modern English
English
eleemosynary
“charitable; dependent on or given as alms”
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