Attention: Logophiles

eleemosynary

adj.
1. Of, relating to, or dependent on charity.
2. Contributed as an act of charity; gratuitous.
Example: Roger Ebert is aggressively eleemosynary towards the movies he reviews.

What is this. I spotted it today on a co-worker's word-a-day calendar and, not to sound like a word power guru, but I believe it's the first time in years and years that I've seen a word in passing I have never seen. Am I dumb? Is everyone throwing "eleemosynary" around at cocktail parties or while in line for the ATM? Enlighten me.