Word
Almsgiving
The practice of giving money, food, or other aid to people in need, often as a religious or moral duty
Examples
The monastery assigned an almoner to turn donations into daily meals for the poor.
Parish taxes gradually supplemented almsgiving because voluntary gifts could not guarantee relief.
Origin
“Alms” came into Old English as ælmesse from Church Latin eleemosyna and Greek eleēmosynē, “compassion” or “mercy.” The modern one-syllable word is the worn-down descendant of a much longer religious term.
How it connects
The word names aid given from duty or devotion, before the law required it.
This word appeared in From mercy to public duty, the Involves connection for August 21, 2026, which asked: When did helping the poor stop depending on a willing donor?
Check yourself
What is almsgiving?
Giving money, food, or other aid to people in need, often as a religious or moral duty.. Right. The word comes from older terms for compassion or mercy, worn down by long religious use.
What the sources establish
Alms descends from Greek eleēmosynē, “compassion” or “mercy,” via Church Latin eleemosyna and Old English ælmesse.
Sources
alms (Online Etymology Dictionary), Entry for “alms”: Greek eleēmosynē to Old English ælmesse