char·i·ta·ble

[char-i-tuh-buhl]
adjective
1.
generous in donations or gifts to relieve the needs of indigent, ill, or helpless persons, or of animals: a charitable man giving much money to feed the poor.
2.
kindly or lenient in judging people, acts, etc.: charitable in his opinions of others.
3.
pertaining to or concerned with charity: a charitable institution.

Origin:
1300–50; Middle English < Old French, equivalent to charit(e) charity + -able -able

char·i·ta·ble·ness, noun
char·i·ta·bly, adverb
non·char·i·ta·ble, adjective
non·char·i·ta·ble·ness, noun
non·char·i·ta·b·ly, adverb
o·ver·char·i·ta·ble, adjective
o·ver·char·i·ta·ble·ness, noun
o·ver·char·i·ta·b·ly, adverb
pseu·do·char·i·ta·ble, adjective
pseu·do·char·i·ta·b·ly, adverb
qua·si-char·i·ta·ble, adjective
qua·si-char·i·ta·b·ly, adverb


1. beneficent, liberal, bountiful, benevolent. See generous. 2. broad-minded, considerate, mild.


1. selfish. 2. severe, intolerant.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To charitable
00:10
Charitable is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
Collins
World English Dictionary
charitable (ˈtʃærɪtəbəl) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  generous in giving to the needy
2.  kind or lenient in one's attitude towards others
3.  concerned with or involving charity
 
'charitableness
 
n
 
'charitably
 
adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

charitable
mid-14c., in ref. to the Christian virtue, from O.Fr. charitable (13c.), from charité (see charity). Meaning "liberal in treatment of the poor" is from c.1400; that of "inclined to impute favorable motives to others" is from 1620s.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
But research suggests that charitable giving is not necessarily keeping pace.
Charitable giving is down this year while demand is up.
Thus the warm glow that accompanies charitable giving has a physiological basis.
Most of them really can't afford to be engaged in academic charitable giving.
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