Meaning
charity
- alms
In a sentence
Ha fatto l'elemosina a una persona bisognosa fuori dalla chiesa.
She gave alms to a needy person outside the church.
Non vivo di elemosina, cerco un lavoro.
I don't live on charity, I'm looking for a job.
Hai mai chiesto l'elemosina per strada?
Have you ever asked for alms on the street?
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| elemosina | feminine · singular |
| elemosine | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Usually means money or food given to a beggar, not general “charity” as an organization; for that, use beneficenza or carità.
- Common with fare l’elemosina and chiedere l’elemosina. Don’t say dare un’elemosina as the default collocation.
- Often used figuratively for something humiliatingly small: sembrare un’elemosina = to feel like a pittance.