pity
/ˈpɪti/
noun
Origin
Latin
pietas — dutifulness, sense of responsibility, piety
Overview
Meaning Now
- The feeling of sorrow and compassion caused by the suffering and misfortunes of others.
- A cause for regret or disappointment.
Literal older meaning
compassion, mercy, piety
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
pite
Earliest period
12th century
Journey
The word originates from the Latin 'pietas', which encompassed the concept of 'piety' or dutiful behavior. As the language evolved into Old French and eventually entered Middle English, the sense specialized from a general moral duty to specifically feeling sorrow for the plight of others. Note that 'piety' is a learned re-borrowing from the same root.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
pietas
“dutiful conduct toward gods and kin”
- Vulgar Latin
pietatem
“compassion, mercy”
Shift from religious duty to human empathy
- Old French
pite
“mercy, pity”
- Middle English
pite
“sorrow for others' suffering”
Connections
Word parts
pit-
root
compassion
-y
suffix
abstract noun marker
Related across languages
French
pitié
pity
Spanish
piedad
piety, mercy
Italian
pietà
pity, piety
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Related to pity
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.