Charitable means generous in giving help, money, or kindness to people who need it. When you're charitable, you share what you have with others, whether that's donating allowance money to a food bank, volunteering time to help at an animal shelter, or simply being kind to someone having a hard day.

The word comes from charity, which means both the act of giving and the feeling of goodwill toward others. A charitable organization collects donations and uses them to help people: feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, or funding medical research. When families make charitable donations during the holidays, they're supporting these organizations and the people they serve.

Being charitable also means judging others kindly and assuming the best about their intentions. If your friend snaps at you one morning, taking a charitable view means thinking, “Maybe they're just tired or worried about something,” rather than assuming they're mean. A charitable interpretation gives someone the benefit of the doubt.

The opposite of charitable is stingy (unwilling to share) or uncharitable (quick to judge others harshly). Notice that being charitable doesn't require being wealthy. Even small acts of generosity and kindness count. Someone who shares their lunch with a hungry classmate or helps a struggling friend with homework is being just as charitable as someone who donates thousands of dollars.