alms-giving
Gifts to poor
Alms-giving is the act of donating money or goods to the poor, especially as a religious duty.
The practice appears across faiths—Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism—as both spiritual obligation and moral virtue.
Alms-giving was central to medieval Christian life.
The hyphenated form is somewhat old-fashioned; *almsgiving* as one word is now more common.
Voluntary charitable gift
- offeringSomething presented or given
- tithingReligious tenth contribution
- zakatObligatory Islamic charity donation
- danaVirtuous giving practice
contribution · gift · handout · pittance · largesse · benefaction · bequest · endowment
Compassion toward offenders
- kindnessConsiderate, caring disposition
- empathySharing another's emotions
- benevolenceDisposition toward doing good
- humanityPeople as a whole
sympathy · caring · concern · solicitude · tenderness · warmth · gentleness · goodwill
Something presented or given
- oblationReligious gift offering
- titheTenth for clergy
- zakatObligatory Islamic charity donation
- danaVirtuous giving practice
merit · blessing · piety · devotion · righteousness · virtue · karma · mitzvah
One who asks for charity
- poorLacking sufficient resources
- needyWanting in essentials
- destituteUtterly without means
- homelessWithout a dwelling
mendicant · pauper · indigent · supplicant · orphan · widow · unfortunate · downtrodden
Allocation across recipients
- disbursementDistribution of funds
- collectionGathered set of items
- beggingEarnest desperate requesting
- solicitationSeeking to obtain
bowl · cup · box · plate · basket · street · doorstep · festival
donation
Voluntary charitable gift
- offeringSomething presented or given
- tithingReligious tenth contribution
- zakatObligatory Islamic charity donation
dana · contribution · gift · handout · pittance · largesse · benefaction · bequest · endowment · collection
mercy
Compassion toward offenders
- kindnessConsiderate, caring disposition
- empathySharing another's emotions
- benevolenceDisposition toward doing good
humanity · sympathy · caring · concern · solicitude · tenderness · warmth · gentleness · goodwill · grace
offering
Something presented or given
dana · merit · blessing · piety · devotion · righteousness · virtue · karma · mitzvah · monastery
beggar
One who asks for charity
homeless · mendicant · pauper · indigent · supplicant · orphan · widow · unfortunate · downtrodden · impoverished
distribution
Allocation across recipients
- disbursementDistribution of funds
- collectionGathered set of items
- beggingEarnest desperate requesting
solicitation · bowl · cup · box · plate · basket · street · doorstep · festival · holiday
alms-givinghoarding
Excessive accumulation of goods
greed · avarice · miserliness · stinginess · selfishness
alms-givingexploitation
Selfish use of others
extortion · usury · loan sharking · predatory lending · profiteering