almsgiving

Etymology

From alms + giving.

almsgiving means The act of voluntarily giving alms, of making donations to the poor, charity. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 84 out of 100.

Why this word is great

ALMSGIVING — [Noun] The act of voluntarily giving money, food, or other aid to the poor, especially as a religious or moral duty. From the compound of alms (from Old English ælmesse, ultimately from Ancient Greek ἐλεημοσύνη, "pity, alms") and giving. Unlike charity, which implies the cool machinery of an organized institution, or philanthropy, which suggests the strategic largesse of a foundation, almsgiving is the raw, personal transaction of mercy. It is the worn coin pressed into a cupped palm, the bowl of soup set silently on a stoop, the brief and wordless meeting of eyes across a threshold—a humble sacrament that acknowledges the fragile thread by which any fortune hangs.

noun

The act of voluntarily giving alms, of making donations to the poor, charity.