I. ˈpi-tē noun
( plural pit·ies )
Etymology: Middle English pite, from Anglo-French pité, from Latin pietat-, pietas piety, pity, from pius pious
Date: 13th century
1.
a. : sympathetic sorrow for one suffering, distressed, or unhappy
b. : capacity to feel pity
2. : something to be regretted
it's a pity you can't go
Synonyms:
pity , compassion , commiseration , condolence , sympathy mean the act or capacity for sharing the painful feelings of another. pity implies tender or sometimes slightly contemptuous sorrow for one in misery or distress
felt pity for the captives
compassion implies pity coupled with an urgent desire to aid or to spare
treats the homeless with great compassion
commiseration suggests pity expressed outwardly in exclamations, tears, or words of comfort
murmurs of commiseration filled the loser's headquarters
condolence applies chiefly to formal expression of grief to one who has suffered loss
expressed their condolences to the widow
sympathy often suggests a tender concern but can also imply a power to enter into another's emotional experience of any sort
went to my best friend for sympathy
in sympathy with her desire to locate her natural parents
II. verb
( pit·ied ; pity·ing )
Date: 15th century
transitive verb
: to feel pity for
intransitive verb
: to feel pity