empathetic

[em-puh-thet-ik]

adjective

of, relating to, or characterized by empathy, the psychological identification with the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of others: a sensitive, empathetic school counselor.

Also em·path·ic

[em-path-ik] /ɛmˈpæθ ɪk/.

Origin of empathetic

First recorded in 1930–35; empath(y) + -etic

Related formsem·pa·thet·i·cal·ly, em·path·i·cal·ly, adverbnon·em·path·ic, adjectivenon·em·path·i·cal·ly, adverb

Can be confusedempathetic sympathetic simpatico

1932, in psychology, from empathy on model of sympathetic and to distinguish it from empathic. Related: Empathetically.