n., pl., -ies.
- Sympathy and sorrow aroused by the misfortune or suffering of another.
- A matter of regret: It's a pity she can't attend the reception.
v., -ied, -y·ing, -ies. v.tr.
To feel pity for.
v.intr.
To feel pity.
idiom:
have (or take) pity on
- To show compassion for.
[Middle English pite, from Old French, from Latin pietās, piety, compassion, from pius, dutiful.]
pityingly pit'y·ing·ly adv.SYNONYMS pity, compassion, commiseration, sympathy, condolence, empathy. These nouns signify kindly concern aroused by the misfortune, affliction, or suffering of another. Pity often implies a feeling of sorrow that inclines one to help or to show mercy: felt pity for the outcast. Compassion denotes deep awareness of the suffering of another and the wish to relieve it: "Compassion is not weakness, and concern for the unfortunate is not socialism" (Hubert H. Humphrey). Commiseration signifies the expression of pity or sorrow: expressed their commiseration over the failure of the experiment. Sympathy denotes the act of or capacity for sharing in the sorrows or troubles of another: "They had little sympathy to spare for their unfortunate enemies" (William Hickling Prescott). Condolence is a formal, conventional expression of pity, usually to relatives upon a death: extending condolences to the bereaved family. Empathy is an identification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives: Having changed schools several times as a child, I feel empathy for the transfer students.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
