Eleemosynary
Adjective
- Relating to or dependent on charity; charitable.
Example Sentences
“Her generous eleemosynary donations fully funded a new animal shelter.”
“The eleemosynary food bank relies on donations to stay open.”
“I try to spend at least one weekend a month on eleemosynary activities.”
Word Origin
Greek, late 16th century
Why this word?
In the original Greek, “eleēmosunē” means “compassion,” a key factor in the adjective “eleemosynary.” As of December 2022, the United States’ most eleemosynary organization is Feeding America, a Chicago-based umbrella of food banks that work across the nation. It reported receiving $4.06 billion in donations in 2022, from a mix of corporate food donations and individual cash donations, and reported a charitable commitment of 99% of those donations.