English
almoner
Almoner comes from Old French almosne ‘alms’, from Latin eleemosyna ‘pity, mercy’, and ultimately from Ancient Greek ἔλεος.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἔλεοςéleos‘pity, mercy, compassion’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐλεέωeleéō‘to have pity on, take pity on, show mercy to’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐλεήμωνeleḗmōn‘pitiful, merciful’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐλεημοσύνηeleēmosúnē‘pity, mercy’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEeleemosyna‘pity, mercy’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*alēmosynareconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400almosne‘alms’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400almosnier
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500aumener
- Englishearliest quotation 1834almoner
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἔλεοςéleos‘pity, mercy, compassion’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐλεέωeleéō‘to have pity on, take pity on, show mercy to’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐλεήμωνeleḗmōn‘pitiful, merciful’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐλεημοσύνηeleēmosúnē‘pity, mercy’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEeleemosyna‘pity, mercy’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*alēmosynareconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400almosne‘alms’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400almosnier
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500aumener
- Englishearliest quotation 1834almoner
Earliest quotation: 1834, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, London: Richard Bentley: “Francesca, from where she stood, could hear the Queen…”
Linked words
through Ancient Greek ἐλεήμων ‘pitiful, merciful’
through Vulgar Latin *alēmosyna
Today it means
noun A person who distributes alms, especially the doles and alms of religious houses, almshouses.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek ἔλεος / almoner