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ALMONER

 - 5 dictionary results

al⋅mon⋅er

  [al-muh-ner, ah-muh-]
Use ALMONER in a Sentence
–noun
1. a person whose function or duty is the distribution of alms on behalf of an institution, a royal personage, a monastery, etc.
2. British.
a. a hospital official who determines the amount due for a patient's treatment.
b. a social worker in a hospital.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME almoiner, aumoner (with insertion of l under influence of alms ) < OF aumon(i)er ≪ LL eleēmosynārius eleemosynary
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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al·mo·ner   (āl'mə-nər, ä'mə-)   
n.  

  1. One who distributes alms.

  2. Chiefly British A hospital social worker.


[Middle English aumoner, from Old French aumonier, from amosne, alms, from Late Latin eleēmosyna, alms; see alms.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

almoner 
"official distributor of alms on behalf of another," c.1300, from O.Fr. almosnier (12c.), from V.L. *almosinarius, from L.L. elemosinarius (adj.) "connected with alms," from eleemosyna "alms" (see alms).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: al·mon·er
Pronunciation: 'äm-&-n&r, 'al-m&-
Function: noun
British : a social-service worker in ahospital
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Encyclopedia

almoner

originally, an officer responsible for distributing alms to the poor, usually connected with a religious house or other institution but also a position with some governments. In the 13th century, almoners were attached to the French court to distribute the royal alms, and in 1486 the office of grand almoner of France was established. The grand almoner was a high ecclesiastical dignitary who was in charge of the clergy attached to the court and who supervised charitable works. The office was suppressed in France in 1790, revived by Napoleon I and again by Napoleon III, and finally abolished in 1870.

Learn more about almoner with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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