charitable
CHAR-i-tuh-buhl
/ˈtʃær.ɪ.tə.bəl/
Generous in giving assistance or money to those in need; lenient or tolerant in judging others.
Covers both financial/material giving to the needy and mental leniency (giving others the benefit of the doubt).
The story behind the word. In Latin, 'caritas' described precious love and deep affection based on high value. Early Christian translators selected 'caritas' to translate the Greek 'agape' (unconditional divine love). Through Old French 'charité', the word evolved in English to describe love expressed through good works, relief for the poor, and open-minded sympathy.
Word relationships
- generous: Generous focuses on large giving; charitable includes giving specifically to the needy or being forgiving.
- tolerant: Tolerant means enduring differences, while charitable implies active kindness and understanding.
- uncharitable: Uncharitable means severe, harsh, or unforgiving in judgment.
- miserly: Miserly refers to hoarders who refuse to give money to anyone.
Commonly confused with
- philanthropic: Philanthropic implies systematic, large-scale social improvement; charitable covers direct aid and everyday empathy.
Word family
- charity (noun): An organization setup to help those in need, or kindness in judgment.
- charitableness (noun): The state or quality of being charitable.
- charitably (adverb): In a generous or lenient manner.
Collocations
- charitable foundation
- charitable donation
- charitable interpretation
- charitable cause
Idioms & expressions
- charity begins at home
Example sentences
- "The foundation raised millions of dollars for charitable organizations fighting childhood hunger." Nonprofit work
- "Taking a charitable view of his mistake, the manager decided to give him a second chance." Interpersonal judgment
Memory hook
CHARITY holds people DEAR (from Latin carus). DEAR LOVE shown through help.
When not to use
Do not confuse with merely pleasant; it specifically implies assistance to the suffering or non-judgmental understanding.
Fun facts
- In the 1611 King James Bible, 'charity' was used where modern translations now use 'love', as in 1 Corinthians 13.
Related words
Explore more words
lenient, benevolent, accommodating, Charity, tolerant, philanthropist
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