- The state or quality of being pious, especially:
- Religious devotion and reverence to God.
- Devotion and reverence to parents and family: filial piety.
- A devout act, thought, or statement.
- A position held conventionally or hypocritically.
- A statement of such a position: “the liberated pieties of people who believe that social attitudes have kept pace with women's aspirations” (Erica Abeel).
[Middle English piete, mercy, pity, from Old French, from Latin pietās, dutiful conduct, from pius, dutiful.]








