compassion

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

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

• Audio (US)

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compassion (usually uncountable, plural compassions)

1. 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.

   • 1977, David Byrne (lyrics and music), “No Compassion”, in Talking Heads: 77, performed by Talking Heads:

     Other people's problems, they overwhelm my mind / They say compassion is a virtue, but I don't have the time

   • 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.

   • 2020 January 28, “My Understanding Of What It Means to Be Compassionate”, in Minghui‎:

     From Master's words, I understand that having compassion does not mean allowing people to take advantage of us. We can be kind but we should uphold moral values.

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

• compassionable
• compassionate
• compassion fatigue

• compatible
• passion

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

1. (obsolete) To pity.
   • c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], line 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.

• “compassion”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “compassion”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Learned borrowing from Ecclesiastical Latin compassiō, from Latin compatior (“to suffer with”).

• IPA^(key): /kɔ̃.pa.sjɔ̃/, /kɔ̃.pɑ.sjɔ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

compassion f (plural compassions)

1. compassion, pity

• compatir
• passion

• “compassion”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

compassion

1. Alternative form of compassioun