Alms Is Plural in Form but Singular in Sense
Alms are charitable gifts to the poor. The word looks plural but was originally a singular noun.
Alms are money or goods given to the poor as charity. The S is not a plural: Old English *ælmesse* was a singular noun, and it wore down to *alms* while keeping the final S, so English speakers reanalysed it as plural. There is no singular *alm*. The word has a long chain behind it — Greek *eleemosyne*, compassion, gave Latin *eleemosyna*, which also produced *eleemosynary*, a formal adjective meaning charitable, and the two are the same word at different stages of wear.
- Charitable gifts. *Give alms.*
- Almshouse — charitable housing. *An almshouse.*
- Eleemosynary — charitable. *Eleemosynary.*
- Greek — *eleemosyne*, compassion. *The source.*
- No singular. *There is no alm.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | alms | Alms. |
| Compound | almshouse | An almshouse. |
| Related | eleemosynary | Eleemosynary. |
| Old English | ælmesse | Alms. |
| Greek | eleemosyne | Compassion. |
- They gave alms at the gate.Charity.
- The almshouses date from 1620.Building.
- There is no singular form.Grammar.
Words with a false plural S
- Alms — from a singular Old English noun
- Riches — from French *richesse*, singular
- Eaves — from a singular Old English word
- Pease — the old singular that gave the false singular *pea*
- News — plural in form but singular in use
Old English *ælmesse*, from Latin *eleemosyna*, from Greek *eleemosyne*, pity or compassion.
Is there a singular of alms?
No. The S is not a plural ending but the worn-down remains of the Old English singular ælmesse.
What does eleemosynary mean?
Charitable, relating to almsgiving. It is the same Greek word as alms, borrowed later and less worn down.