charity

UK: /ˈtʃærɪti/ US: /ˈtʃærɪti/ ,(char′i tē)

Inflections of 'charity' (n): npl: charities

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

char•i•ty /ˈtʃærɪti/   n., pl. -ties. 

1. gifts of money or things to aid the poor, ill, or helpless:
   [uncountable] She was too proud to accept charity.
2. a charitable fund, organization, foundation, or institution:
   [uncountable] He gave a lot to charity but no one ever knew it.
   [countable] Various charities provided food for the homeless.
3. [uncountable] a generous feeling, esp. toward those in need:
   to do something out of charity.
4. tolerance in judging others:
   [uncountable] He had the charity to forgive those hateful remarks.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

char•i•ty  (char′i tē), n., pl. -ties. 

1. generous actions or donations to aid the poor, ill, or helpless:
   to devote one's life to charity.
2. something given to a person or persons in need;
   alms:
   She asked for work, not charity.
3. a charitable act or work.
4. a charitable fund, foundation, or institution:
   He left his estate to a charity.
5. benevolent feeling, esp. toward those in need or in disfavor:
   She looked so poor that we fed her out of charity.
6. leniency in judging others;
   forbearance:
   She was inclined to view our selfish behavior with charity.
7. Religion Christian love;
   agape.

• Latin cāritāt- (stem of cāritās), equivalent. to cār(us) dear (akin to caress, cherish, Kama, whore) + -itāt- -ity
• Old French
• Middle English charite 1125–75

char′i•ty•less, adj. 
Synonyms

• 5. kindliness, consideration, humanity, benignity, sympathy.

Antonyms

• 5. malevolence.

Char•i•ty  (char′i tē), n. 

1. a female given name.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

charity / ˈtʃærɪtɪ/ noun ( -ties)

1. the giving of help, money, food, etc, to those in need
2. (as modifier): a charity show
3. an institution or organization set up to provide help, money, etc, to those in need
4. the help, money, etc, given to the people in need; alms
5. a kindly and lenient attitude towards people
6. love of one's fellow people

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French charite, from Latin cāritās affection, love, from cārus dear