philanthropy
Americannoun
plural
philanthropies-
altruistic concern for human welfare and advancement, usually manifested by donations of money, property, or work to needy persons, by endowment of institutions of learning and hospitals, and by generosity to other socially useful purposes.
-
the activity of donating to such persons or purposes in this way.
to devote one's later years to philanthropy.
-
a particular act, form, or instance of this activity.
The art museum was their favorite philanthropy.
-
an organization devoted to helping needy persons or to other socially useful purposes.
noun
-
the practice of performing charitable or benevolent actions
-
love of mankind in general
Other Word Forms
- philanthropist noun
Etymology
Origin of philanthropy
First recorded in 1600–10; earlier philanthropia, from Late Latin, from Greek philanthrōpía “benevolence, humane feeling”; see phil-, anthropo-, -y 3
Explanation
If you donate money to a charity or volunteer to help people in need, you can call your good deeds philanthropy. Philanthropy is made up of two parts — Greek phil, "loving" and anthrop, "mankind." It refers to the desire to help people or the actual deeds a person does to benefit mankind. Philanthropy most often refers to the large amounts of money the wealthy donate to causes such as world hunger or organizations like museums or animal shelters. A private organization that promotes the welfare of people can also be called a philanthropy.
Vocabulary lists containing philanthropy
The Vocabulary of College
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Words: May 5 - 11, 2018
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Federalist Papers, No. 1 by Alexander Hamilton
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She convinced him that rather than kick back and enjoy a young retirement—he was in his 50s—they should focus more on philanthropy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026
Netflix said Hastings has decided not stand for re-election to its board so he can focus on philanthropy and other pursuits.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
Hastings will leave the company he co-founded to focus on philanthropy and other efforts, the streaming company announced said Thursday.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026
The Times Higher Education website claimed recently that philanthropy to elite UK universities is in decline.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
Now, Howard Avenue is just a few blocks from where I live, so I could pretend I belonged to the Howard Avenue Civic League or some other fictitious philanthropy.
From "The Pigman" by Paul Zindel
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
