piety

American  

[pahy-i-tee] / ˈpaɪ ɪ ti /

noun

plural

pieties

1. reverence for God or devout fulfillment of religious obligations.

   a prayer full of piety.

   Synonyms:

   awe, veneration, respect

2. the quality or state of being pious.

   saintly piety.

   Synonyms:

   holiness, sanctity, devoutness, devotion, godliness

3. dutiful respect or regard for parents, homeland, etc..

   filial piety.

4. a pious act, remark, belief, or the like.

   the pieties and sacrifices of an austere life.

---

piety British  

/ ˈpaɪɪtɪ /

noun

1. dutiful devotion to God and observance of religious principles

2. the quality or characteristic of being pious

3. a pious action, saying, etc

4. rare devotion and obedience to parents or superiors

---

Other Word Forms

• superpiety noun
• unpiety noun

Etymology

Origin of piety

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English piete, from Middle French, from Latin pietās, equivalent to pi(us) + -etās, variant (after i ) of -itās; pious, -ity

Example Sentences

The pope "wanted to see for himself what is happening in Monaco, where this movement of renewal is based on an embraced faith, and on an inclusive popular piety and devotion," he told AFP.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

I marveled at how those marks of piety remained, just an hour away from the Rooms hotel’s sleek pool deck.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025

Take the title's smirk at the idea of piety, and the way the script implicitly questions the legitimacy of that label.

From Salon • May 2, 2025

Was it, they asked, real piety or young people doing as they were told because that is how it's been here for their whole lives?

From BBC • Dec. 19, 2024

“Go to his master. Hubert’s wisdom and piety are famous across Christendom. I’m bringing some books to him anyway. Come with me, and we’ll tell him all about the crimes of the wicked Michelangelo.”

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz

Related Words

• fervor
• loyalty
• religiosity
• reverence
• zeal