Pity: meaning, definitions and examples

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pity

 

[ ˈpɪti ]

Noun / Verb
Context #1 | Noun

feeling

The feeling of sorrow and compassion caused by the suffering and misfortunes of others.

Synonyms

compassion, empathy, sympathy

Examples of usage

  • I felt a deep sense of pity for the homeless man on the street.
  • She looked at him with pity in her eyes.
Context #2 | Verb

action

To feel sorrow and compassion for the suffering and misfortunes of others.

Synonyms

commiserate, feel sorry for, sympathize

Examples of usage

  • She couldn't help but pity the stray animals in the cold.
  • He pitied the children who had to work long hours.

Translations

Translations of the word "pity" in other languages:

🇵🇹 pena

🇮🇳 दया

🇩🇪 Mitleid

🇮🇩 belas kasihan

🇺🇦 жалість

🇵🇱 litość

🇯🇵 哀れみ (awaremi)

🇫🇷 pitié

🇪🇸 lástima

🇹🇷 acıma

🇰🇷 연민 (yeonmin)

🇸🇦 شفقة (shafaqa)

🇨🇿 lítost

🇸🇰 ľútosť

🇨🇳 同情 (tóngqíng)

🇸🇮 usmiljenje

🇮🇸 meðaumkun

🇰🇿 аяу

🇬🇪 თანაგრძნობა (tanagrznoba)

🇦🇿 rəhm

🇲🇽 lástima

Etymology

The word 'pity' originated in Middle English from the Old French word 'pité', which in turn came from the Latin 'pietas' meaning 'dutiful conduct, sense of duty'. Over time, the meaning evolved to represent a feeling of sorrow and compassion towards others.

See also: pitiable, pitiful.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #4,993, this word represents useful upper-intermediate vocabulary. Understanding and using it will help you express more complex ideas effectively.