pity
UK: ˈpɪti | US: ˈpɪti
n. a feeling of sorrow or sympathy for someone else's suffering
vt. to feel compassion for someone
pity = pit<compassion> + y<noun suffix>
- pit (from Old French pité, from Latin pietās meaning "dutifulness, mercy")
- y (a noun-forming suffix in Middle English, often indicating a state or quality)
Etymology Origin:
The word "pity" traces back to Latin pietās, which originally meant "dutifulness" or "piety" but evolved in Old French (pité) to emphasize compassion. By Middle English, the suffix -y was added to form a noun denoting the emotional state of mercy or sorrow for others. The shift from religious duty to empathetic sorrow reflects broader cultural changes in medieval Europe.
She looked at the stray dog with pity and gave it some food.
It’s a pity that the event was canceled due to bad weather.
He pitied his friend’s struggles but didn’t know how to help.
They showed no pity for the defeated opponent.
The judge took pity on the young offender and reduced the sentence.