n.
Pronunciation: ' ä(l)mz
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural alms
Etymology: Middle English almesse, almes, from Old English ælmesse, ælmes, from Late Latin eleemosyna alms, from Greek ele ē mosyn ē pity, alms, from ele ē m ō n merciful, from eleos pity
Date: before 12th century
1 archaic : CHARITY
2 : something (as money or food) given freely to relieve the poor
– alms · giv · er \ - ˌ gi-v ə r \ noun
– alms · giv · ing \ - ˌ gi-vi ŋ \ noun