English Reference
noun

donation

n.
US /doʊˈneɪʃən/ UK /dəʊnˈeɪʃən/ do·na·tion UK spelling donations

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    money or goods that you give to an organization, like a charity, to help them with their work.

    a voluntary gift or contribution, typically of money or physical goods, provided to a non-profit or charitable entity.

    Simple

    The local food bank received a large donation of canned goods from the school.

    In context

    The museum's expansion was made possible by a generous private donation from an anonymous benefactor who wished to support the arts.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Medicine

    the act of giving blood or a body organ to help someone who is sick.

    the provision of biological material, such as blood, plasma, or organs, for medical treatment or research.

    Simple

    The hospital is asking for more blood donations because their supplies are low.

    In context

    Organ donation remains a critical component of modern transplant surgery, requiring clear legal consent from the donor or their next of kin.

    Usage

    often used in the compound 'blood donation' or 'organ donation'.

The small donations they sometimes receive at these events can help support the group and their activities.

Al Jazeera· 14 Aug 2026

Meanwhile, Roland showed Al Jazeera donation pages online for the settlers that he says carried out the attacks.

Al Jazeera· 14 Aug 2026

From Middle English donacion, donation, from Middle French donation, from Latin dōnātiō (“a present”), from dōnō (“to give”), from dōnum (“a gift”). Recorded in English since the 15th century. Equivalent to donate + -ion.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin dōnātiō
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated