compassion

EnglishEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin compassio (“sympathy”), from compati, past participle compassus (“to suffer together with”), from Latin com- (“together”) + pati (“to suffer”); see passion.

PronunciationEdit

(UK, US) IPA^(key): /kəmˈpæʃ.ən/
Audio (US)
(file)
Rhymes: -æʃən

NounEdit

compassion (usually uncountable, plural compassions)

Deep awareness of the suffering of another, coupled with the wish to relieve it.
- 1849, Robert Leighton (Archbishop of Glasgow), A practical commentary upon the first Epistle of St. Peter (page 47)
  Oh! the unspeakable privilege to have Him for our Father, who is the Father of mercies and compassions, and those not barren, fruitless pityings, for He is withal the God of all consolations.
- 2002, Werner J. Krieglstein, Compassion: A New Philosophy of the Other, page 149,
  In many ways, people today lack compassion as a way to internalize and experience the inner soul of the other person, animals, and the universe. We need to reintroduce compassion so humanity may survive.
- 2008, Richard Reilly, Ethics of Compassion: Bridging Ethical Theory and Religious Moral Discourse, page 1,
  Ethics of compassion are grounded in one's mindful commitment to one's own happiness with the recognition that the well being that one wishes for oneself also is wished for by others.

SynonymsEdit

(deep awareness of another's suffering): empathy, mercy, ruth, pity, sorrow, tenderheartedness
(desire to relieve another's suffering): kindness, heart, mercy, ruth, tenderheartedness

Derived termsEdit

Related termsEdit

compatible

TranslationsEdit

deep awareness of the suffering of another

Arabic: رَحْمَة‎ f (raḥma)
Armenian: please add this translation if you can
Bulgarian: състрадание (bg) n (sǎstradanie), съчувствие (bg) n (sǎčuvstvie)
Catalan: compassió (ca) f
Cherokee: ᎤᏓᏙᎵᏣᏘ (udadolitsati)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 同情 (zh) (tóngqíng)
Czech: soustrast f, soucit (cs) f
Danish: medlidenhed
Dhivehi: please add this translation if you can
Dutch: medelijden (nl) n, deernis f
Esperanto: please add this translation if you can
Finnish: myötätunto (fi), osanotto
French: compassion (fr) f
Georgian: please add this translation if you can
German: Mitleid (de) n, Erbarmen (de) n, Mitgefühl (de) n
Greek: συμπόνια (el) f (sympónia), ευσπλαχνία (el) f (efsplachnía)
Hebrew: רחמים‎ (he) m pl (raḥamim); חמלה‎ (he) (ḥemla); אמפתיה‎ (he) (empatia)
Ido: kompato (io)
Irish: trua f, taise f
Italian: compassione (it)

Japanese: 同情 (ja) (どうじょう, dōjō)
Khmer: មេត្តាធម៌ (meettaa tʰoa)
Manx: erreeish f
Maori: whakaaroha
Marathi: भूतदया (bhūtadyā)
Mirandese: please add this translation if you can
Mongolian: please add this translation if you can
Persian: رحم‎ (fa) (rahm)
Polish: współczucie (pl) n
Portuguese: compaixão (pt) f
Romanian: compasiune (ro) f
Russian: сострада́ние (ru) n (sostradánije), сочу́вствие (ru) n (sočúvstvije) (the first в is silent), сопережива́ние (ru) n (sopereživánije)
Sanskrit: भूतदया (sa) f (bhūtadayā)
Scottish Gaelic: ath-thruas m
Spanish: compasión (es) f, conmiseración (es) f
Swahili: rehema, huruma (sw)
Swedish: medlidande (sv)
Thai: please add this translation if you can
Tok Pisin: marimari
Vietnamese: từ bi (vi)

VerbEdit

compassion (third-person singular simple present compassions, present participle compassioning, simple past and past participle compassioned)

(obsolete) To pity.
- 1607, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Titus Andronicus, IV. i. 124:
  O heavens, can you hear a good man groan / And not relent, or not compassion him?
- 1830, The Last of the Supernaturalists, in James Fraser (editor), Fraser's Magazine, Volume 1, page 226,
  Both wanted in early life the one thing essential to every individual, of whatever nature or degree of intellect, a kind, compassioning adviser; - a true friend; […] .
- 1836, William A. Brewer, The Widow's Son, in Recreations of a Merchant; Or, The Christian Sketch-book, page 27,
  The widow's tears flowed wildly. / But Oh! a harbinger of life approached — / God, manifest in flesh — compassioned her, / And bade her weep no more.