pity

[ pit-ee ]

/ ˈpɪt i /

noun, plural pit·ies.

sympathetic or kindly sorrow evoked by the suffering, distress, or misfortune of another, often leading one to give relief or aid or to show mercy: to feel pity for a starving child.

a cause or reason for pity, sorrow, or regret: What a pity you could not go!

adjective

Informal. motivated by a sense of pity or sympathy for others or for oneself: to have pity sex with a virgin; to go on a pity date with a loser.

verb (used with object), pit·ied, pit·y·ing.

to feel pity or compassion for; be sorry for; commiserate with.

verb (used without object), pit·ied, pit·y·ing.

to have compassion; feel pity.

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Idioms for pity

have / take pity, to show mercy or compassion.

Origin of pity

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English pite, from Old French pite, earlier pitet, from Latin pietāt- (stem of pietās “dutiful respect, sense of duty”); see origin at piety

SYNONYMS FOR pity

1 commiseration, compassion.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR pity ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for pity

1. See sympathy.

OTHER WORDS FROM pity

outpity, verb (used with object), out·pit·ied, out·pit·y·ing.un·pit·ied, adjective

Words nearby pity

pituitary growth hormone, pituitary myxedema, pituitous, pituri, pit viper, pity, pitying, pityriasis, pityriasis alba, pityriasis linguae, pityriasis rosea

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for pity

Nope, though readers may occasionally see the tiniest justifiable pity-party because the backdrop of this book is about parenting a parent, which everybody knows is hard.
Learning to parent your parent|Terri Schlichenmeyer|August 21, 2020|Washington Blade
Lady Rose is also rather subdued in the premiere, which is a pity.
What Downton’s Fashion Really Means|Katie Baker|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It is not a pity party when you can stand up and say, “I am,” to be counted, reaffirmed, human.
I Was Gang Raped at a UVA Frat 30 Years Ago, and No One Did Anything|Liz Seccuro|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Africa was supposedly a place to avoid or, at best, an oddity to pity.
How I Got Addicted to Africa (and Wrote a Thriller About It)|Todd Moss|September 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

It would have been easy to pity—and forget—the women that Davis played: ordinary, working class, and unromantic.
Ann B. Davis Was the Zesty Antidote to the Bradys|Emily Shire|June 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A creature deserving of pity and a medical diagnosis that will grant them a special status in society.
Surviving War Doesn’t Turn All Veterans into Victims, Sometimes it Helps Them Grow|David Morris|May 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His face was so beautiful in the moonlight that the little Swallow was filled with pity.
Children's Literature|Charles Madison Curry
It was a pity, he said, that my father would not visit Wyncote.
Hugh Wynne, Free Quaker|S. Weir Mitchell
Troth, tis pity, sir.A brauer hope of so assurd a father Did neuer comfort France.
The Fatal Dowry|Philip Massinger
Doesn't this urge you to pity, so that you will beg His Holiness for pardon, beg him to receive us?
Three Plays|Luigi Pirandello
We will leave these poor devils, in pity, to trade with others; but they must not delay us to make a pretence of earning money.
No Thoroughfare|Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins

British Dictionary definitions for pity

pity

/ (ˈpɪtɪ) /

noun plural pities

sympathy or sorrow felt for the sufferings of another

have pity on or take pity on to have sympathy or show mercy for

something that causes regret or pity

an unfortunate chancewhat a pity you can't come

more's the pity it is highly regrettable (that)

verb pities, pitying or pitied

(tr) to feel pity for

Derived forms of pity

pitying, adjectivepityingly, adverb

Word Origin for pity

C13: from Old French pité, from Latin pietās duty

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

Idioms and Phrases with pity

pity

see for one's (pity's) sake; take pity on.

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WORD OF THE DAY

pity

noun, plural pit·ies.

adjective

verb (used with object), pit·ied, pit·y·ing.

verb (used without object), pit·ied, pit·y·ing.

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Idioms for pity

Origin of pity

SYNONYMS FOR pity

synonym study for pity

OTHER WORDS FROM pity

Words nearby pity

Example sentences from the Web for pity

British Dictionary definitions for pity

noun plural pities

verb pities, pitying or pitied

Derived forms of pity

Word Origin for pity

Idioms and Phrases with pity

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

pity

noun, plural pit·ies.

adjective

verb (used with object), pit·ied, pit·y·ing.

verb (used without object), pit·ied, pit·y·ing.

QUIZZES

IS YOUR DESERT PLANT KNOWLEDGE SUCCULENT OR DRIED UP?

Idioms for pity

Origin of pity

SYNONYMS FOR pity

synonym study for pity

OTHER WORDS FROM pity

Words nearby pity

Words related to pity

Example sentences from the Web for pity

British Dictionary definitions for pity

noun plural pities

verb pities, pitying or pitied

Derived forms of pity

Word Origin for pity

Idioms and Phrases with pity