ælmesse

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *alemōsinā, a borrowing from Vulgar Latin *alemosyna.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈæl.mes.se/, [ˈæɫ.mes.se]

Noun

ælmesse f

1. alms
   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Chair of Saint Peter"

     ...ðā beseah hē tō Petre sumere ælmessan wilniġende...

     Then looked he towards Peter, desiring an alms,...

   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Chair of Saint Peter"

     ...þā læġ þǣr sum creopere lama fram cildhāde sē wæs dæġhwāmlīce ġeboren tō þām beorhtan ġete þæt hē ælmessan underfencge æt þām infarendum...

     Then lay there a cripple, lame from childhood, who was daily carried to the 'Beautiful' Gate, that he might receive alms from those entering.

Declension

Declension of ælmesse (weak)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	ælmesse	ælmessan
accusative	ælmessan	ælmessan
genitive	ælmessan	ælmessena
dative	ælmessan	ælmessum

Descendants

• Middle English: almesse, allemesse, allmess, alme, almisse, almose, almouse, almus, amesse, elmes, elmesse
  • English: alms
    • Gullah: aa'ms
  • Scots: aumous
  • Yola: alomes