sorry
/ˈsɒri/
adjective
Origin
Old English
sar — pain, wound, or aching
Overview
Meaning Now
- feeling distress or regret for an action, situation, or loss
- in a pathetic, miserable, or inadequate state
Literal older meaning
pained, sore, or distressed
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
sarig
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The word originally referred to physical pain ('sore'). Through association with sorrow, its meaning drifted toward emotional distress, ultimately leading to its modern role as an expression of apology or empathy.
Evolution
- Old English (before 1100)
sarig
“pained or distressed”
Derived from 'sar' (pain).
- Middle English (1100–1500)
sory
“sorrowful or regretful”
Spelling influenced by the unrelated word 'sorrow'.
- Modern English (1500–present)
sorry
“expressing apology or pity”
Connections
Word parts
sorr-
root
pain
-y
suffix
having the quality of
Related across languages
Old Saxon
serig
pained
Old High German
serig
sickly
Explore next
Related to sorry
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.