α. 1600s almnoress, 1900s almoneress.
β. 1900s almoness.
almonessn.
/ˌɑː(l)məˈnɛs/, /ˌalməˈnɛs/, /ˌɒlməˈnɛs/, U.S. /ˈæ(l)mənəs/, /ˈɑ(l)mənəs/ Now chiefly historical.
A female almoner; spec. a nun responsible for the management and distribution of alms on behalf of a convent. Also figurative.
ΚΠ
1673 A. Walker Leez Lachrymans Ep. Ded. sig. A3v Our Noble Lord hath left you his Substitute to uphold the Grandure of Leez in what is Nobel, and his Almnoress in what is charitable.
1843 Southern Literary Messenger Aug. 463/1 One of the many blessings, which, Nature, the almoness of His bounty, has bestowed upon this ‘highly favored land’.
1867 Masonic Eclectic Nov. 337 No Lodge or body of the rite can close without the passing round of the box of charity. The proceeds will be noted by the Sister Secretary, and handed to the Almoness.
1922 E. Power Medieval Eng. Nunneries iv. 132 The Almoness had charge of the almsgiving.
1989 J. H. Tillotson Marrick Priory 9 Whilst it is conceivable that there were other record-keeping officials such as kitcheness, almoness, or chambress, no reference to them appears in the existing accounts.
2007 L. V. Hicks Relig. Life in Normandy, 1050–1300 ii. 63 At the nunnery of St-Anand in Rouen, Eudes forbade the nuns to appoint an almoness or to give away alms without consent.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, September 2012; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1673