eleemosynary
adjective

- relating to or dependent on charity; charitable.

Oxford Languages


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WORD ORIGIN

The word "eleemosynary" comes from the Medieval Latin eleemosynarius, which derives from the Late Latin eleemosyna meaning "alms" or "charitable donation."

This Latin term traces back to the Greek eleēmosynē (ἐλεημοσύνη), meaning "pity" or "mercy," which itself comes from eleēmōn (ἐλεήμων), meaning "compassionate" or "merciful."

The word entered English in the early 17th century, initially used to describe things related to almsgiving or charitable works. In medieval times, an "eleemosynary" was actually a person—specifically, the official in a household or monastery responsible for distributing alms to the poor. Over time, the word shifted from noun to adjective and expanded its meaning to encompass all forms of charitable activity and institutions dependent on charity.

While the word might seem unnecessarily complicated for such a simple concept as "charitable," it has maintained its place in formal and legal language, particularly when describing the tax-exempt status of charitable organizations or the founding principles of institutions established for public benefit.

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SCOTT SAVES SCHOOLS



MacKenzie Scott's $80 million gift to Howard University last Sunday represents extraordinary generosity. She has now distributed over $19 billion, with historically Black colleges and universities receiving substantial portions of these unrestricted funds. Schools can finally address their most pressing needs—crumbling infrastructure, underpaid faculty, student support services long deferred.

This eleemosynary impulse deserves recognition. Scott asks for nothing in return. No naming rights, no galas, no photo opportunities. Her approach to philanthropy breaks from traditional models where donors attach strings and seek visibility. The money arrives quietly and schools decide how to use it.

Yet something feels troubling beneath the gratitude. Howard and similar institutions shouldn't need to wait for billionaire intervention to keep their doors open. These schools were founded because racism barred Black students from white universities. They've operated with inadequate resources ever since—not through mismanagement or poor planning, but because American society has consistently underinvested in Black education.

The uncomfortable truth is that Scott's generosity cannot substitute for what these institutions actually need: reliable, permanent funding that doesn't depend on one person's charity. Philanthropy is wonderful when it supplements and enhances,… but it shouldn't be the primary mechanism for keeping universities alive.

Helga & Paul Smith

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." — Mahatma Gandhi

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SYNONYMS

acts of kindness, almsgiving, altruistic, benevolent, beneficent, bountiful, charitable, donated, doing good, for a good cause, ELEEMOSYNARY, generous, giving, giving back, good Samaritan, gratuitous, helping hand, humanitarian, magnanimous, munificent, out of the goodness of one's heart, philanthropic, pro bono

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SMUGGLE
 OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

“ELEEMOSYNARY activities reveal the positive side of human nature,… it’s heartening to see that.”

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P L E A S E   S U P P O R T   O W A D