/em"peuh thee/ , n.
1. the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.
2. the imaginative ascribing to an object, as a natural object or work of art, feelings or attitudes present in oneself: By means of empathy, a great painting becomes a mirror of the self.
[ 1900-05; empátheia affection, equiv. to em- EM- 2 + path- (base of páschein to suffer) + -eia -IA; present meaning translates G Einfühlung ]
Syn. 1. See sympathy .