compassion

com-pas-sion · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    Deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering, with a desire to help.

  2. 2.

    The feeling of wanting to help someone who is suffering.

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    have compassion for — to feel sympathy toward
  • •
    compassion fatigue — emotional exhaustion from helping others
  • •
    show compassion — to demonstrate sympathy and kindness

Related words

Antonyms: callousness, cruelty, indifference
See also: compassionate, empathy, mercy, sympathy
Synonyms: empathy, mercy, pity, sympathy

Etymology

From Latin "compassio" meaning suffering together, from "com-" (together) and "pati" (to suffer). Related to "passion" in its original sense of suffering.