Alms ( /ɑːmz/, /ɑːlmz/) or almsgiving is a religious rite which, in general, involves giving materially to another as an act of religious virtue. It exists in a number of religions and regions. The word, in the modern English language, comes from the Old English ælmesse, ælmes, from Late Latin eleemosyna, from Greek ἐλεημοσύνη eleēmosynē "pity, alms", from ἐλεήμων eleēmōn "merciful", from ἔλεος eleos "pity".
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Famous quotes containing the word alms:
“If alms were only given out of pity, all the beggars would have starved to death.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)