compassion en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /kəmˈpæʃ.ən/ (UK, US)
Etymology
From Middle English compassioun, compassion, from Old French compassion, from Ecclesiastical Latin compassio (“sympathy”), from Latin compati, past participle compassus (“to suffer together with”), from com- (“together”) + pati (“to suffer”); see passion. By surface analysis, com- + passion.
Meanings
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(uncountable, usually) Deep awareness of the suffering of others that people have to the point of them being motivated to relieve such states.
Oh! the unspeakable privilege to have Him for our Father, who is the Father of mercies and compassions, and those not barren, fruitless pityings, for He is withal the God of all consolations.
1849, Robert Leighton (Archbishop of Glasgow), A practical commentary upon the first Epistle of St. Peter (page 47)Ethics of compassion are grounded in one's mindful commitment to one's own happiness with the recognition that the well being that one wishes for oneself also is wished for by others.
2008, Richard Reilly, Ethics of Compassion: Bridging Ethical Theory and Religious Moral Discourse, page 1:Other people's problems, they overwhelm my mind / They say compassion is a virtue, but I don't have the time
1977, David Byrne, “No Compassion”, in Talking Heads: 77, performed by Talking Heads:From Master's words, I understand that having compassion does not mean allowing people to take advantage of us. We can be kind but we should uphold moral values.
2020 January 28, “My Understanding Of What It Means to Be Compassionate”, in Minghui.org, archived from the original on 10 Apr 2023:In many ways, people today lack compassion as a way to internalize and experience the inner soul of the other person, animals, and the universe. We need to reintroduce compassion so humanity may survive.
2002, Werner J. Krieglstein, Compassion: A New Philosophy of the Other, page 149:
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(broadly, uncountable, usually) Deep awareness of the individual experiences of suffering of others or themselves that people have to the point of them being motivated to relieve such experiences, as reflected by the psychological term self-compassion.
True leadership lies in compassion, not in coercion.
Similarly to the practice of loving kindness, meditation on compassion towards our own experience builds the foundation for expansion of the circle of compassion towards others.
2013, Dusana Dorjee, Mind, Brain and the Path to Happiness — A Guide to Buddhist Mind Training and the Neuroscience of Meditation, page 75:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| compassions | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
compassionlessness · ruthlessness · uncompassion · pitilessness · unpity
Deriveds
compassionless · self-compassion · incompassion · compassion fatigue · uncompassion · compassionable · compassionate
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
Relateds
passion · what a pity · compatible
Synonyms
mercy · mercy (desire to relieve another's suffering) · commiseration · remorse · loving-kindness · pity · tenderheartedness (desire to relieve another's suffering) · rue · kindness (desire to relieve another's suffering) · heart (desire to relieve another's suffering) · compassion · sorrow · bowels · ruth · empathy (deep awareness of another's suffering) · tenderheartedness · ruth (desire to relieve another's suffering) · sympathy · fellow feeling
Translations (126)
ky боорукердик (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ur ترس (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · it compassione (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · oc compassion (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · vi lòng từ bi (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · de Mitgefühl (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · el ευσπλαχνία (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · gv erreeish (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · be спачува́нне (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · mk сочувство (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · tg дилсӯзӣ (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · sh саосећање (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · mr करुणा (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · km មេត្តាធម៌ (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · fr compassion (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · es compasión (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · mi atawhaitanga (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · bg съчу́вствие (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · hi दया (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · el συμπόνια (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · enm compassioun (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ru сопережива́ние (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · lv līdzjūtība (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · hi करुणा (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ko 동정 (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · sv medlidande (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · sa करुणा (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · sh saosjećanje (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · sw rehema (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ceb kaluoy (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ar شَفَقَة (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ar رَحْمَة (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · sl sočutje (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · hi सहानुभूति (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · nl deernis (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · uz shafqat (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ru сочу́вствие (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · lt užuojauta (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · vi từ bi (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · fa رحم (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · hi संवेदना (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ur رحم (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · kk жаны ашу (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · az rəhm (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · hy կարեկցանք (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · mi tauwhirotanga (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · pt compaixão (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · uk співчуття́ (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · vi lòng thương (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ml സഹാനുഭൂതി (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · da medlidenhed (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · grc συμπάθεια (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · my ကရုဏာ (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ky кайрымдуулук (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · mi whakaaroha (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · he אֶמְפַּתְיָה (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · sa भूतदया (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · txb karuṃ (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · got 𐌰𐍂𐌼𐌰𐌷𐌰𐌹𐍂𐍄𐌴𐌹 (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · tl awa (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · be спага́да (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · chr ᎤᏓᏙᎵᏣᏘ (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · mi ngākau aroha (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · gd ath-thruas (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · km មេត្តា (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · tr şefkat (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · sk ľútosť (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ms belas kasihan (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · th การุณย์ (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · th กรุณา (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · sh saosećanje (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · nl medelijden (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · he רַחֲמִים (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · de Erbarmen (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · de Mitleid (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · uk співпереживання (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · sq mëshirë (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · scn cumpiatà (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · fi myötätunto (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · da medfølelse (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · nb medfølelse (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · cs soucit (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ml അനുകമ്പ (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · bn করুণা (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · my အကြင်နာ (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · bg състрада́ние (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · sa दया (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · uga 𐎔𐎛𐎄 (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · got 𐌼𐌹𐌻𐌳𐌹𐌸𐌰 (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · io kompato (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · cmn 同情 (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ja 同情 (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · tg шафқат (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · uk співстраждання (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · th เมตตา (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · uz rahm (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · grc οἰκτιρμός (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · hu együttérzés (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · sv medkänsla (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · la misericordia (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · az şəfqət (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · he חֶמְלָה (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · mr दया (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ga taise (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · tpi marimari (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · lo ເມດຕາ (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · et kaastunne (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · fa شفقت (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · id belas kasih (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · vi đồng cảm (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ka თანაგრძნობა (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · nv įįh (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · xal уйдвр (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · cs soustrast (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · fi osanotto (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · sk súcit (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ca compassió (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · sw huruma (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ro compasiune (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · cmn 愛心 /爱心 (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ota رحم (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ru сострада́ние (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · eo kompato (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · sh саосјећање (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · pl współczucie (deep awareness of the suffering of another) · ga trua (deep awareness of the suffering of another)