charity

English Online Dictionary. What means charity‎? What does charity mean?

English

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Etymology

From Middle English charite, from Old French charité, cherte, chariteit, cariteit, from Latin cāritās.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈtʃæɹɪti/
• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃɛɹəti/, [ˈt͡ʃɛɹəɾi]
• (General American, General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃæɹəti/, [ˈt͡ʃæɹəɾi]

Noun

charity (countable and uncountable, plural charities)

1. (countable) An organization, the objective of which is to carry out a charitable purpose.
2. (countable) The goods or money given to those in need.
3. (uncountable) Benevolence to others less fortunate than ourselves; the providing of goods or money to those in need.
4. In general, an attitude of kindness and understanding towards others, now especially suggesting generosity.
   • July 20, 1677, John Mitchell Mason, letter to a friend

     Judge thyself with the judgment of sincerity, and thou witl judge others with the judgment of charity.

5. (archaic, Christianity) Christian love; representing God's love of man, man's love of God, or man's love of his fellow-men.

   Synonym: agape
6. (US, Philippines, basketball, informal) A free throw.

Synonyms

• (organization): charitable organization

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

• "charity" in Raymond Williams, Keywords (revised), 1983, Fontana Press, page 54.

Anagrams

• chytrai