noun
alms
ahmz
noun
1
Money, food, or other help given to the poor as charity.
"The monastery distributed alms to beggars every Friday."
How to Use Alms
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCharity given to people in need — an old-fashioned word, mostly seen in religious or historical contexts today.
Common pairings
give alms
alms for the poor
Word Forms
alms plural, Almses plural
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The monastery distributed _____ to beggars every Friday.
Etymology
From Old English ælmesse, borrowed ultimately from Ancient Greek eleēmosúnē, "pity, mercy" — the same root that gives "eleemosynary".