ETYM French charité from Latin caritas dearness, high regard, love, from carus dear, costly, loved; asin to Skr. kam to wish, love, cf. Irish cara a friend, W. caru to love. Related to Caress.
1. A foundation created to promote the public good (not for assistance to any particular individuals).
2. A kindly and lenient attitude toward people; SYN. brotherly love.
3. An activity or gift that benefits the public at large.
4. An institution set up to provide help to the needy.
Originally a Christian term meaning a selfless, disinterested form of love. This developed to include almsgiving or other actions performed by individuals to help the poor and needy. Today it refers to any independent agency (for example, Oxfam) that organizes such relief on a regular basis.