charity

noun

char·​i·​ty ˈcher-ə-tē How to pronounce charity (audio)
ˈcha-rə-
plural charities
Synonyms of charitynext
1
a
: generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering
also : aid given to those in need
received charity from the neighbors
b
: an institution engaged in relief of the poor
raised funds for several charities
c
: public provision for the relief of the needy
too proud to accept charity
2
: benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity
The holidays are a time for charity and goodwill.
3
a
: a gift for public benevolent purposes
b
: an institution (such as a hospital) founded by such a gift
4
: lenient judgment of others
The critic was liked for his charity and moderation.

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for charity

mercy, charity, clemency, grace, leniency mean a disposition to show kindness or compassion.

mercy implies compassion that forbears punishing even when justice demands it.

threw himself on the mercy of the court

charity stresses benevolence and goodwill shown in broad understanding and tolerance of others.

show a little charity for the less fortunate

clemency implies a mild or merciful disposition in one having the power or duty of punishing.

the judge refused to show clemency

grace implies a benign attitude and a willingness to grant favors or make concessions.

by the grace of God

leniency implies lack of severity in punishing.

criticized the courts for excessive leniency

Examples of charity in a Sentence

The holidays are a time for charity and good will. She refused to accept charity. The dinner was held to raise funds for several charities. She runs a local charity that gives books to children. All the money will go to charity.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Deciding which charities to support is the first step. —Marion Hart, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024 She was drawn to the film’s themes of redemption, as Emilia attempts to atone for her brutal past by starting a charity for victims of cartel violence. —Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024 Anas and his 11-year-old sister grab an old food can with a twisted wire handle – a makeshift pail – to carry food and soups ladled out by the charity kitchen. —Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Nov. 2024 Also, Barish suggests trying to practice intellectual charity and humility by looking at the strongest parts of someone's opinion instead of the weakest, and understanding where our own arguments could use some help. —Rachel Carlson, NPR, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for charity 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English charite, from Anglo-French charité, from Late Latin caritat-, caritas Christian love, from Latin, dearness, from carus dear; akin to Old Irish carae friend, Sanskrit kāma love

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of charity was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing charity

Dictionary Entries Near charity

Chariton

charity

charity school

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Charity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/charity. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

charity

noun
char·​i·​ty ˈchar-ət-ē How to pronounce charity (audio)
plural charities
1
: love for others
2
: kindliness in judging others
3
a
: the giving of aid to the poor and suffering
b
: public aid for the poor
c
: an institution or fund for aiding the needy

Legal Definition

charity

noun
char·​i·​ty
plural charities
: a gift for humanitarian, philanthropic, or other purposes beneficial to the public (as maintaining a public building)
also : an institution (as a hospital or school) or organization founded by such a gift compare private foundation

Note: Statutory definitions of what institutions and organizations qualify as charities vary. Organizations that are primarily involved in political campaigns or lobbying do not qualify as charities for tax purposes, but trusts for them may be considered charitable. In addition to tax-exempt status, charities have also generally been granted immunity from tort suits.

More from Merriam-Webster on charity

Nglish: Translation of charity for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of charity for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about charity

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
sweet smart pug puppy dog sitting in front of blackboard with chalk question marks
Commonly Confused Words Quiz Vol. 3 Do you have a (flare/flair) for choosing the righ...