Forms: α. 3–4 aumoner(e, amoner, 3–5 aumener(e, 4–5 -eer, 5 awmener, -eer, (ambynowre), amener, 5–7 amner, 6–7 almner, almener, almonar, 6– almoner. β. 5–7 almosner, 6 -osiner, 7 -oisner, ausmoner. γ. 6 almoigner, almoygner, -or, almoiner. δ. 5 aumere, almer, -ar, 6 -owr; 5 awmerer; 6 amonerer. [a. OFr. aumoner, aumonier (12th c. almosnier, 13th aumosnier, 15th aulmosnier, mod. aumônier):—late L. *almosinārius for eleēmosynārius, prop. adj. ‘connected with alms,’ sc. homo, f. eleēmosyna ALMS. But perh. partly due, esp. in sense 3, to OFr. almosnère, -eor, later -eur:—L. eleēmosynātor -ātorem an alms-giver.]
The native development was aumoner, aumener, aumner, amner (ā) the regular form in 16th c. But the Renascence brought up a number of artificial spellings, after later Fr. aulmosnier, ausmonier, Afr. almoignier, and their med. L. adaptations, under the influence of which and the native alms, amner has been artificially refashioned as almner, almener, almoner, and the pronunciation has followed the spelling. The 15th c. aumere, almer, and Sc. almowr, are direct formations on aumes, almes; aumer-er, amoner-er seem to be f. awmere, awmener, a purse; see ALMONER2.]
1. An official distributor of the alms of another; the name of a functionary in a religious house, in the household of a bishop, prince, or other person of rank. Sometimes applied to the chaplain of a hospital, or other institution.
In the royal household of Great Britain there is a titular Hereditary Grand Almoner, besides the Lord High Almoner, and Sub-almoner, who are clergymen.
α. c. 1300. Cursor M., 15219. Judas … Was iesu crist aumoner [v.r. aumener(e].
1366. Maundev., xix. 210. Whan the covent of this abbeye hath eaten, the awmener let bere the releef to the gardyn.
1444. Polit. Poems, II. 220. The awmeneer seyth he cam to late.
1494. Fabyan, VII. 586. The lord of Awdeley amner, in stede of the erle of Cambrydge.
1548. Hall, Chron., 790. Dr. Fox the Kynges Amner made an eloquent oracion in Latin.
1591. Percivall, Sp. Dict., Limosnero, an almener.
1630. Brathwait, Eng. Gent. (1641), 242. These deferre giving, till they cannot give, making their executors their almoners.
1647. Haward, Crown Rev., 31. Gentleman Amner: Fee, 11l. 8s. 1d. ob.; Subamner: Fee, 6l. 16s. 10d. ob.
1654. L’Estrange, K. Charles I., 176. There came to London from Cardinal Richelieu … his Chaplain and Almner.
1667. E. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., I. II. xii. (1743), 97. The Lord Almoner disposes of the king’s alms.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), III. xxxvi. 209. He is now and then my almoner.
1867. J. Martineau, Chr. Life (ed. 4), 178. The almoner of God to the poor and sad.
1870. Daily News, 10 Nov., 6/2. The two are the almoners of the Berliner Hülfsverein.
β. 1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 124/3. He [saynt Johan] was called almosner or amener.
1553–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 1693/1. The almosiner, a phisition, and a surgeon to attend upon them.
1586. Wills & Inv. N. C. (1860), 134. To the almosiners of this towne of Middlesburghe.
1601. Tate, trans. Househ. Ord. Ed. II., § 19. 55. For the ausmoner & al under him.
1617. James I., Patent, in Lib. Mun. Hib., I. ii. 81. To erect and establish an office of Almosner in this our realm of Ireland.
γ. 1528. More, Heresyes, I. Wks. 1557, 164/2. Doctor Mayo, sometyme almoygner to king Henry the seuenth.
1564. Grindal, Fun. Serm., Wks. 1843, 32. The Bishop of Rochester, chiefe Almoygnor.
1598. Stow, Surv. (ed. Strype, 1754), II. ix. 718/1. All Almoisners and houses of Almoise.
δ. c. 1400[?]. in Dom. Arch., III. 133. The aumere a rod schall haue in honde.
c. 1430. Lydg., ibid., III. 133. Humble compassion was his awmerer.
1450. Old Will, in Academy, 27 Sept. (1879), 231/2. The thonne of þame þe to almer & the tother of yame the tother almar.
c. 1510. Bonaventura’s Myrrour (Pynson), viii. D j. Theyr amonerers or tresourers myght lightly have had it in hande.
a. 1600. Mem. of Spottiswood, 3 (Jam.). To stay with the queene and attend her Majestie as her Almowr.
2. fig.
1822. B. Cornwall, Lys. & Ione, 1. Iris … Is the Spring’s al moner … and scatters Upon the subject world, dyed flowers and sweets.
1873. Sir J. Herschel, Pop. Lect., ii. § 20. 62. The sun is the almoner of the Almighty.
† 3. One who gives alms largely; an alms-giver. Obs. or arch.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 5575. Seynt Joan þe aumonere.
1340. Ayenb., 190. Ine þe lyue of Ion þe amoner.
c. 1400. Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS., 53. Mercy hir syster salle be ambynowre þat gyffes to alle.
1483. [See in 1 β].
1580. Baret, Alv., A 365. An Amner, or giuer of almes, seemeth to be deriued of this French worde Aumosnier, and therefore ought rather to be written almonar.
1585. Abp. Sandys, Serm. (1841), 193. Who for his liberal relieving of the needy was surnamed the Almner.
1591. H. Locke, Avarice, 22, in Farr’s S. P., I. 138. An amner to the poore that helpless cry.
1607. Hieron, Wks., I. 389. [Dorcas] was a discreet, iust, compassionate, cheerefull, simple-hearted almoner.
1874. J. Holland, Mist. Manse, ix. 156. Who found the largess in her palms And him the friendly almoner.
