empathy

em-pa-thy · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    The ability to understand and share the feelings of another person.

  2. 2.

    The capacity to place oneself in another's position and imagine their perspective.

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    show empathy — to demonstrate understanding of another's feelings
  • •
    lack of empathy — an inability to understand others' emotions
  • •
    empathy fatigue — emotional exhaustion from caring for others
  • •
    cognitive empathy — understanding another's perspective intellectually

Related words

Antonyms: apathy, callousness, indifference
See also: compassion, sympathy, understanding
Synonyms: compassion, fellow feeling, sensitivity, understanding

Etymology

From Greek empatheia ("affection, passion"), from em- ("in") + pathos ("feeling"). The term was coined in the early 20th century as a translation of German Einfuhlung.