alms

From Middle English almes, almesse, ælmesse, from Old English ælmesse, from Proto-West Germanic *alemōsinā, a borrowing from Vulgar Latin *alemosyna, from Late Latin eleēmosyna, from Ancient Greek ἐλεημοσύνη (eleēmosúnē, “alms”), from ἐλεέω (eleéō, “I have mercy”), from ἔλεος (éleos, “mercy”). Compare Saterland Frisian Aalmoose (“alms”), Dutch aalmoes (“alms”), German Almosen (“alms”), Portuguese esmola (“alms”), Galician esmola (“alms”), Spanish limosna (“alms”), French aumône (“alms”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɑːmz/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ɑmz/, /ɑlmz/, (obsolete) /æmz/^[1]

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑːmz, -ɑːlmz
• Homophone: arms (most non-rhotic accents)

alms (plural alms)

1. Something given to the poor as charity, such as money, clothing or food.

   She gave $10 weekly to the poor as alms.

   Alms are distributed from the weekly collection for the purpose.

   • c. 1779, Alban Butler, Lives of the Saints

     St. Antoninus never refused an alms which was asked in the name of God.

• eleemosynary

• Gullah: aa'ms

• AMLs, masl, salm, M.L.A.s, MSAL, Salm, SLAM, SAML, AMSL, MLAs, MASL, amsl, mals, lams, slam, LAMs, Lams

alms

1. indefinite genitive singular of alm

• mals, smal