/ ˈtʃærəti; NAmE / noun ( pl. -ies )
1.
[ C ] an organization for helping people in need :
Many charities sent money to help the victims of the famine.
The concert will raise money for local charities.
2.
[ U ] the aim of giving money, food, help, etc. to people who are in need :
Most of the runners in the London Marathon are raising money for charity .
Do you give much to charity?
a charity concert (= organized to get money for charity)
to live on / off charity (= to live on money which other people give you because you are poor)
3.
[ U ] ( formal ) kindness and sympathy towards other people, especially when you are judging them :
Her article showed no charity towards her former friends.
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IDIOMS
- charity begins at home
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WORD ORIGIN
late Old English (in the sense Christian love of one's fellows ): from Old French charite , from Latin caritas , from carus dear.