Phrase guide

widow's mite

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈwɪdəʊz ˈmaɪt/
  • General-American: /ˈwɪdoʊz ˈmaɪt/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aɪt

1

noun

Meaning 1

A very small gift or donation which, however, represents a great sacrifice on the part of the giver.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The lepton coin.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, numismatics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From the Bible account of the poor widow’s donation of two mites (or leptons, small coins of low value) to the temple contribution box, which Jesus Christ praised as more than the gifts presented by wealthy people, for “[a]ll these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on”: Luke 21:1–4 (New International Version); see also Mark 12:38–44.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: lesken ropo — very small gift or donation
  • French: denier de la veuve — very small gift or donation
  • German: Scherflein — very small gift or donation
  • Hungarian: szegény özvegy(asszony) két fillérje — very small gift or donation
  • Irish: cianóg na baintrí — very small gift or donation
  • Polish: wdowi grosz — very small gift or donation
  • Russian: ле́пта (lépta) — very small gift or donation
  • Serbo-Croatian: цр̏кавица — very small gift or donation
  • Serbo-Croatian: cȑkavica — very small gift or donation