almshouse

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a residence provided by a charity for poor, elderly, or disabled people, often in a historically endowed building

   The seventeenth-century almshouse still provides homes for retired residents.

From Middle English almeshous, a compound of alms and house. Alms comes through Old English ælmesse and ecclesiastical Latin eleemosyna from Greek eleēmosynē, 'compassion, charity.' Almshouses were residences supported by religious or charitable gifts rather than ordinary commercial rent.

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