definitions

empathy

[ em-puh-thee ]
/ ˈɛm pə θi /
|

noun

the psychological identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.
the imaginative ascribing to an object, as a natural object or work of art, feelings or attitudes present in oneself: By means of empathy, a great painting becomes a mirror of the self.

RELATED CONTENT

Empathy vs. Sympathy: Which Word To Use And WhenThe terms empathy and sympathy are often confused and with good reason. Both of the words deal with the relationship a person has to the feelings and experiences of another person. So, let's explore the differences between these terms and how they are most commonly used.
READ MORE
ATW: What Does 😂 - Face w/ Tears of Joy Emoji Mean? | Dictionary.comRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

pity, appreciation, compassion, insight, rapport, sympathy, affinity, warmth, responsiveness, concord, soul, communion, comprehension, recognition

Nearby words

empanada, empanel, empathetic, empathic, empathize, empathy, empedocles, empennage, emperipolesis, emperor, emperor butterfly

Origin of empathy

1900–05; < Greek empátheia affection, equivalent to em- em-2 + path- (base of páschein to suffer) + -eia -ia; present meaning translates German Einfühlung
SYNONYMS FOR empathy
1 See sympathy.
Can be confusedempathy sympathy (see synonym study at sympathy)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for empathies

empathy

/ (ˈɛmpəθɪ) /

noun

the power of understanding and imaginatively entering into another person's feelingsSee also identification (def. 3b)
the attribution to an object, such as a work of art, of one's own emotional or intellectual feelings about it
Derived Formsempathist, noun

Word Origin for empathy

C20: from Greek empatheia affection, passion, intended as a rendering of German Einfühlung, literally: a feeling in; see en- ², -pathy
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

Medicine definitions for empathies

empathy

[ ĕm′pə-thē ]

n.

Direct identification with, understanding of, and vicarious experience of another person's situation, feelings, and motives.
The projection of one's own feelings or emotional state onto an object or animal.
Related formsem′pa•thet′ic (-thĕt′ĭk) null adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Culture definitions for empathies

empathy

[ (em-puh-thee) ]

Identifying oneself completely with an object or person, sometimes even to the point of responding physically, as when, watching a baseball player swing at a pitch, one feels one's own muscles flex.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.