contrite

[kuhn-trahyt, kon-trahyt]

adjective

caused by or showing sincere remorse.

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

Origin of contrite

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

Related formscon·trite·ly, adverbcon·trite·ness, nouno·ver·con·trite, adjectiveo·ver·con·trite·ly, adverbo·ver·con·trite·ness, nounun·con·trite, adjective

Synonyms for contrite

2. rueful, remorseful, repentant.

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

Examples from the Web for contritely

Contemporary Examples of 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

Historical Examples of contritely

"I'll not say another personal word," he murmured, contritely.
Quaint Courtships
Various
“I hope you will humbly pardon me, Mr. Burns,” he said contritely.
Philo Gubb Correspondence-School Detective
Ellis Parker Butler
Florian looked up at her contritely, and smiled his winning smile.
Gigolo
Edna Ferber
"Sylvie, I had no idea things would be like that," he told her contritely.
The Cosmic Computer
Henry Beam Piper
"Say, hold your hosses, Markham," said Hartridge contritely.
Sundry Accounts
Irvin S. Cobb

British Dictionary definitions for contritely

contrite

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.