Theophilanthropist

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who combines love of God with love of humanity, advocating for both religious devotion and charitable works toward all people
2. An individual who promotes the dual principles of devotion to a divine entity and compassion for all mankind through both spiritual and charitable actions
3. A person who embodies the amalgamation of reverence for a higher power and a commitment to philanthropic endeavors for the benefit of humanity

Etymology: The most surprising thing about this word is how recent it is: it was built in the late 18th century by stacking two Greek-derived pieces onto a word that already existed. Its base, "philanthropist," came into English earlier and came from Greek "philanthrōpos," meaning "loving humankind." The prefix "theo-" comes from Greek "theos," meaning "god," so the compound joins a devotion to the divine with a devotion to people. The compound was formed in English by adding "theo-" to "philanthropist," which is why the two halves are visibly separate: one points upward, the other outward. Its parts reach back through Latin and Old French, the suffix "-ist" passing through Middle English, but the pairing itself is an English invention.