almshouse

noun

alms·​house ˈä(l)mz-ˌhau̇s How to pronounce almshouse (audio)
1
British : a privately financed home for the poor
2

Examples of almshouse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Three were taken from people who died in the hospital that served the city’s almshouse. Claire Healy, Washington Post, 14 Dec. 2023 Working with Hrdlicka, the doctors — often prominent members of D.C. society — took organs from Black people, children and people at institutions such as the city’s almshouse. Claire Healy, Washington Post, 14 Dec. 2023 There are no more of them in the almshouses than of white people. Anna Deavere Smith, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2023 The almshouse property would have covered 200 acres at the intersection of today’s Interstate 270 and Wootton Parkway. John Kelly, Washington Post, 31 Oct. 2023 Between quests for permits and battles with the city of Quincy over the bridge, here is a timeline of events, broken down: Related: Is Long Island the answer to Mass. and Cass? 1882: The city of Boston secured Long Island for institutional care facilities, including an almshouse. Ellie Wolfe, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Aug. 2023 These communities often lived in almshouses — charitable housing — and on the streets, and people didn’t want to financially support them, Crumley said. Maddie Browning, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Feb. 2023 The image on the top left shows a modern-day electrical transformer, and the photo on the top right shows the almshouse outside the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey. Isabella Fertel, USA TODAY, 1 Dec. 2022 The skulls of the Black Philadelphians were probably taken from unmarked graves at the almshouse. Remy Tumin, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'almshouse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of almshouse was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near almshouse

Cite this Entry

“Almshouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/almshouse. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

almshouse

noun
alms·​house -ˌhau̇s How to pronounce almshouse (audio)

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