A small ornamental pouch or purse worn hanging from the belt in medieval and Renaissance times, often decorated and used to carry personal items or coins.
From Old French aumonière (alms purse), derived from aumone (alms). The word reflects the historical connection between charitable giving and the pouches used to carry money.
The aumoniere started as a practical pouch for carrying alms to give to poor people, but eventually became a status symbol—the fancier your aumoniere, the wealthier you appeared, completely missing the original charitable point!
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