phi·lan·thro·py

[fi-lan-thruh-pee]
noun, plural phi·lan·thro·pies.
1.
altruistic concern for human welfare and advancement, usually manifested by donations of money, property, or work to needy persons, by endowment of institutions of learning and hospitals, and by generosity to other socially useful purposes.
2.
the activity of donating to such persons or purposes in this way: to devote one's later years to philanthropy.
3.
a particular act, form, or instance of this activity: The art museum was their favorite philanthropy.
4.
an organization devoted to helping needy persons or to other socially useful purposes.
Origin:
1600–10; earlier philanthropia < Late Latin < Greek philanthrōpía love for mankind. See phil-, anthropo-, -y3

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Philanthropy is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
philanthropy (fɪˈlænθrəpɪ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—n , pl -pies
1.  the practice of performing charitable or benevolent actions
2.  love of mankind in general
 
[C17: from Late Latin philanthrōpia, from Greek: love of mankind, from philos loving + anthrōpos man]
 
phi'lanthropist
 
—n
 
philanthrope
 
—n

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

philanthropy
c.1600, from L.L. philanthropia, from Gk. philanthropia "humanity, benevolence," from philanthropos (adj.) "loving mankind," from phil- "loving" + anthropos "mankind" (see anthropo-). Originally in L.L. form; modern spelling attested from 1620s.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Volunteering and philanthropy are strongly emphasized in our household.
Philanthropy is flourishing as the number of super-rich people keeps growing.
He said he would pursue entrepreneurial ventures and philanthropy.
Vengeful philanthropy: it was a category unto itself.
Related Words
phil-
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