contrite

[ kuhn-trahyt, kon-trahyt ]

/ kənˈtraɪt, ˈkɒn traɪt /

adjective

caused by or showing sincere remorse.

filled with a sense of guilt and the desire for atonement; penitent: a contrite sinner.

Nearby words

Origin of contrite

1300–50; Middle English contrit (< Anglo-French) < Latin contrītus worn down, crushed, past participle of conterere. See con-, trite

SYNONYMS FOR contrite

2. rueful, remorseful, repentant.

Related forms

con·trite·ly, adverbcon·trite·ness, nouno·ver·con·trite, adjectiveo·ver·con·trite·ly, adverb

o·ver·con·trite·ness, nounun·con·trite, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for contritely

You have fully and contritely admitted the problem, which is more than Lance could manage.
An Open Letter to Buzz Bissinger|Sean Macaulay|March 27, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Here, among a congregation of contritely stooping sinners, he walked as stiffly upright as a well-drilled recruit.
Egholm and his God|Johannes Buchholtz
“So sorry,” answered Dick, contritely, at once falling back.
Harley Greenoak's Charge|Bertram Mitford
Thatcher took the seat indicated, contritely, humbly, submissively.
The Story of a Mine|Bret Harte

This is the wail of contritely penitent souls, everywhere, always.
The Vitality of Mormonism--Brief Essays|James E. Talmage
He was not trying to evade an importunate claim; he was honestly and contritely struggling between opposing duties.
Summer|Edith Wharton

British Dictionary definitions for contritely

contrite

/ (kənˈtraɪt, ˈkɒntraɪt) /

adjective

full of guilt or regret; remorseful

arising from a sense of shame or guiltcontrite promises

theol remorseful for past sin and resolved to avoid future sin

Derived Formscontritely, adverbcontriteness, noun

Word Origin for contrite

C14: from Latin contrītus worn out, from conterere to bruise, from terere to grind

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for contritely

contrite

adj.

c.1300, from Old French contrit and directly from Latin contritus, literally "worn out, ground to pieces," past participle of conterere "to grind," from com- "together" (see com-) + terere "to rub" (see throw (v.)). Used in English in figurative sense of "crushed in spirit by a sense of sin." Related: Contritely.