Definition

Noun: 1. A small container, typically found in a church, used for collecting charitable donations, especially small coins. This term specifically refers to a box where worshippers can deposit "mites," a term historically meaning very small sums of money or coins.

Usage

• The term is used to describe a specific object for collecting alms, emphasizing its location (often in a religious setting) and its purpose for small, humble donations.
• It functions as a compound noun. The primary meaning is the physical box itself.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The children each put a coin in the mite box during the Sunday service.
  • The old wooden mite box by the church door was nearly full.

Advanced Usage

• The concept is often associated with the biblical story of the "widow's mite," which teaches the value of a small, sacrificial gift given from the heart. A "mite box" symbolizes this principle.
• While traditionally physical, modern equivalents can include small cardboard boxes distributed to families for collecting change at home to later donate to the church.

Variants and Related Words

• Alms box: A more general term for a box collecting charitable gifts.
• Offering plate: A tray passed among a congregation to collect donations, differing from a stationary box.
• Poor box: A traditional term for a box collecting alms for the needy.

Synonyms

• Alms box
• Charity box
• Collection box

Notes on Meaning

• The word "mite" in this compound refers to a very small monetary unit or a tiny amount. The "mite box" is therefore literally a "box for very small coins."
• It is distinct from a general donation receptacle because of its historical and religious connotations of modest, personal giving.

Noun

1. box for collecting alms, especially one in a church