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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

alms

Audio Help [ahmz] Pronunciation Key

–noun (used with a singular or plural verb

)

money, food, or other donations given to the poor or needy; anything given as charity: The hands of the beggars were outstretched for alms.

[Origin: bef. 1000; ME almes, almesse, OE ælmesse (cf. OS alamōsna, OHG alamuosa, D aalmoes; OSp almosna) ≪ LL eleémosyna < Gk eleémosýné compassion, alms, deriv. of éleos pity. See eleemosynary

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Alms

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

alms Audio Help (ämz) Pronunciation Key
pl.n. Money or goods given as charity to the poor.

[Middle English almes, from Old English ælmesse, from Late Latin eleēmosyna, from Greek eleēmosunē, pity, charity, from eleēmōn, pitiful, from eleos, pity.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
alms

O.E. ælmesse, from P.Gmc. *alemosna, an early borrowing of V.L. *alemosyna, from Church L. eleemosyna (Tertullian, 3c.), from Gk. eleemosyne "pity, mercy," in Ecclesiastical Gk. "charity, alms," from eleemon "compassionate," from eleos "pity, mercy," of unknown origin, perhaps imitative of cries for alms.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

alms
noun
money or goods contributed to the poor

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
alms [aːmz] noun plural

money etc given to the poor

Arabic:	صَدَقَه، صَدَقَات
Chinese (Simplified):	救济金
Chinese (Traditional):	救濟金
Czech:	almužna
Danish:	almisse
Dutch:	aalmoes
Estonian:	almus
Finnish:	almu(t)
French:	aumône
German:	das Almosen
Greek:	ελεημοσύνη (πληθ.)
Hungarian:	alamizsna
Icelandic:	ölmusa
Indonesian:	derma, sedekah
Italian:	elemosina

Japanese:	施し
Latvian:	žēlastības dāvana
Lithuanian:	išmalda
Norwegian:	almisse
Polish:	jałmużna
Portuguese (Brazil):	esmola
Portuguese (Portugal):	esmola
Romanian:	pomană
Russian:	милостыня
Slovak:	almužna
Slovenian:	miloščina
Spanish:	limosna
Swedish:	allmosa, allmosor
Turkish:	sadaka, zekât

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Alms

Alm"esse\, n. See Alms. [Obs.]

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Alms

Not found in the Old Testament, but repeatedly in the New. The Mosaic legislation (Lev. 25:35; Deut. 15:7) tended to promote a spirit of charity, and to prevent the occurrence of destitution among the people. Such passages as these, Ps. 41:1; 112:9; Prov. 14:31; Isa. 10:2; Amos 2:7; Jer. 5:28; Ezek. 22:29, would also naturally foster the same benevolent spirit. In the time of our Lord begging was common (Mark 10:46; Acts 3:2). The Pharisees were very ostentatious in their almsgivings (Matt. 6:2). The spirit by which the Christian ought to be actuated in this duty is set forth in 1 John 3:17. A regard to the state of the poor and needy is enjoined as a Christian duty (Luke 3:11; 6:30; Matt. 6:1; Acts 9:36; 10:2, 4), a duty which was not neglected by the early Christians (Luke 14:13; Acts 20:35; Gal. 2:10; Rom. 15:25-27; 1 Cor. 16:1-4). They cared not only for the poor among themselves, but contributed also to the necessities of those at a distance (Acts 11:29; 24:17; 2 Cor. 9:12). Our Lord and his attendants showed an example also in this (John 13:29). In modern times the "poor-laws" have introduced an element which modifies considerably the form in which we may discharge this Christian duty.

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary

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