charity

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noun char·i·ty \ ˈcher-ə-tē , ˈcha-rə- \

Definition of charity

plural charities

1 :benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity

The holidays are a time for charity and goodwill.

2 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

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.

See charity defined for English-language learners

See charity defined for kids

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 of charity from the Web

Gates, 61, who has pledged to give the majority of his fortune to charity, has donated Microsoft shares worth $35 billion since 1994.

— jack witzig, Bloomberg.com, "Ortega Is Closing In on Gates to Be the World's Richest," 29 Aug. 2017
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Williams maintains a strong tie to his home nation through charity work.

— danielle lerner, The Courier-Journal, "Louisville City FC's Speedy Williams, Mark-Anthony Kaye to face off in international friendly," 29 Aug. 2017
Strength, charity, and resilience are those characters.

— david a. graham, The Atlantic, "Trump's Empathy Deficit," 29 Aug. 2017
Every quarter, the members will help choose a charity to benefit from special events like the recent pop-up that raised $700 for The Fuse Project.

— michelle matthews, AL.com, "Mobile's newest boutique fitness center opening soon in Midtown," 29 Aug. 2017
A $30 ticket includes both days of entertainment plus two beers, which is a pretty good deal itself, but is all the easier to justify since all the proceeds from tickets will be donated to local charities.

— brittany martin, Los Angeles Magazine, "The 10 Best Things to Do in L.A. for Labor Day Weekend," 28 Aug. 2017
Nashville singer-songwriter Dave Hawkins performs with other musicians from his new album with concert proceeds going to charity.

— rasputin todd, Cincinnati.com, "Things to do this week: Aug. 28-Sept. 4," 28 Aug. 2017
Miami-Dade doesn’t yet have a firm count to compare to previous years, but if the experiences of local charities and legal aid groups are any indication, other schools across South Florida also are likely seeing a flow of Venezuelan students.

— kyra gurney, miamiherald, "As crisis deepens in Venezuela, fleeing students flood classrooms in Miami-Dade," 26 Aug. 2017
Benefits the Eagle Community Foodbank and other local charities.

— michelle jenkins, idahostatesman, "Pumpkins, football and FitOne…yep, September is just around the corner," 25 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'charity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of charity

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

charity Synonyms

Synonyms

almsgiving, dole, philanthropy

Synonym Discussion of 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

CHARITY Defined for English Language Learners

charity

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noun

Definition of charity for English Language Learners

: the act of giving money, food, or other kinds of help to people who are poor, sick, etc.; also : something (such as money or food) that is given to people who are poor, sick, etc.
: an organization that helps people who are poor, sick, etc.
: the organizations that help people in need

CHARITY Defined for Kids

charity

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noun char·i·ty \ ˈcher-ə-tē \

Definition of charity for Students

plural charities

1 :love for others

2 :kindliness especially in judging others

… I pray you mercy of my fault, and that ye will of your kindness and your charity forgive it …
—Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee

3 :the giving of aid to the needy

4 :aid (as food or money) given to those in need

5 :an organization or fund for helping the needy

Law Dictionary

charity

noun char·i·ty

legal Definition of charity

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.