Etymology tree
Proto-Italic *wre-
Latin re-der.
Old French re-
Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰreh₁d-der.
Proto-Germanic *grētaną
Frankish *grātander.
Old French *greter
Old French regreterbor.
Middle English regretten
English regret
From Middle English regretten, regreten, from Old French regreter, regrater (“to lament”), from re- (intensive prefix) + *greter, *grater (“to weep”), from Frankish *grātan (“to weep, mourn, lament”), from Proto-Germanic *grētaną (“to weep”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰreh₁d- (“to sound”); and Frankish *greutan (“to cry, weep”), from Proto-Germanic *greutaną (“to weep, cry”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrewd- (“to weep, be sad”), equivalent to re- + greet. Cognate with Old High German grāzan (“to cry”), Old English grǣtan (“to weep, greet”), Old English grēotan (“to weep, lament”), Old Norse gráta (“to weep, groan”), Gothic 𐌲𐍂𐌴𐍄𐌰𐌽 (grētan, “to weep”). More at greet.
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) Emotional pain on account of something done or experienced in the past, with a wish that it had been different; a looking back with dissatisfaction or with longing.
What man does not remember with regret the first time he read Robinson Crusoe? 1828, Thomas Macaulay, John Dryden:
From its peaceful bosom [the grave] spring none but fond regrets and tender recollections. 1819 June 23 – 1820 September 13, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “(please specify the title)”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC:
Never any prince expressed a more lively regret for the loss of a servant. 1702–1704, Edward [Hyde, 1st] Earl of Clarendon, (please specify |book=I to XVI), in The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, Begun in the Year 1641. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed at the [Sheldonian] Theater:
Zuckerberg, whose company has been blamed for enabling genocide in Myanmar because it did not bother to hire moderators who speak Burmese, for example, added that one of his life’s biggest regrets is competing on the fencing team in high school rather than wrestling. 2022 August 26, Jason Koebler, “Mark Zuckerberg Now Obsessed With MMA, ‘Rolling and Wrestling With Friends’”, in Vice, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 Sep 2024:
Is it a vertue to have some ineffective regrets to damnation, and such a Vertue too, as shall serve to ballance all our vices? 1667, Richard Allestree, The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety:
(countable, qualifier:decision theory, uncountable) The amount of avoidable loss that results from choosing the wrong action.
Each loss then represents this unavoidable loss plus a regret (loss due to ignorance of Ө). Subtracting these unavoidable losses, we obtain the regret table, Table 1.7, and the average regret table, Table 1.8. 2012, Herman Chernoff, Lincoln E. Moses, Elementary Decision Theory, page 12:
Under squared errorloss we show that there exists unique minimax regret solution for the problem of selecting the threshold. 2002, Bernd Droge, On the Minimax Regret Estimation of a Restricted Normal Mean, and Implications:
(countable, uncountable) One who was invited to an event who was unable to attend, but notified the organizer of this beforehand; a nonattendee.
ar أَسَف (instance of such an emotion) · bg съжаление (instance of such an emotion) · de Bedauern (instance of such an emotion) · sk ľútosť (instance of such an emotion) · es pesar (instance of such an emotion) · sq keqardhje (instance of such an emotion) · sw sikitiko (instance of such an emotion) · ase A@Chest-PalmBack CirclesVert (instance of such an emotion) · no beklagelse (instance of such an emotion) · txb onmiṃ (instance of such an emotion) · it rammarico (instance of such an emotion) · pms regret (instance of such an emotion) · bn আফসোস (instance of such an emotion) · da beklagelse (instance of such an emotion) · ko 후회 (instance of such an emotion) · nl berouw (instance of such an emotion) · ms penyesalan (instance of such an emotion) · be жаль (instance of such an emotion) · km សេចក្ដីស្ដាយក្រោយ (instance of such an emotion) · ne आत्मग्लानि (instance of such an emotion) · eo bedaŭro (instance of such an emotion) · fo iðran (instance of such an emotion) · ur افسوس (instance of such an emotion) · cs lítost (instance of such an emotion) · az təəssüf (instance of such an emotion) · sv ånger (instance of such an emotion) · tpi belhevi (instance of such an emotion) · sv beklagande (instance of such an emotion) · fi valittelu (instance of such an emotion) · fr regret (instance of such an emotion) · ang hrēow (instance of such an emotion) · cmn 後悔 /后悔 (instance of such an emotion) · el λύπη (instance of such an emotion) · ro regret (instance of such an emotion) · nl spijt (instance of such an emotion) · de Reue (instance of such an emotion) · pl żal (instance of such an emotion) · ga cathú (instance of such an emotion) · hu megbánás (instance of such an emotion) · got 𐍄𐍂𐌹𐌲𐍉 (instance of such an emotion) · pt arrependimento (instance of such an emotion) · hi अफ़सोस (instance of such an emotion) · io regreto (instance of such an emotion) · mi kōrehu (instance of such an emotion) · yi באַדויערונג (instance of such an emotion) · it rimorso (instance of such an emotion) · fi katumus (instance of such an emotion) · ca recança (instance of such an emotion) · pt remorso (instance of such an emotion) · no anger (instance of such an emotion) · it pentimento (instance of such an emotion) · sd افسوس (instance of such an emotion) · ar تَأَسُّف (instance of such an emotion) · gl arrepentimento (instance of such an emotion) · he חֲרָטָה (instance of such an emotion) · hi पश्चात्ताप (instance of such an emotion) · is eftirsjá (instance of such an emotion) · te విచారం (instance of such an emotion) · ota اوگنج (instance of such an emotion) · be шкадава́нне (instance of such an emotion) · cmn 遺憾 /遗憾 (instance of such an emotion) · hi पछतावा (instance of such an emotion) · id penyesalan (instance of such an emotion) · fo angur (instance of such an emotion) · es arrepentimiento (instance of such an emotion) · cy gofid (instance of such an emotion) · hy ափսոսանք (instance of such an emotion) · nrf r'gret (instance of such an emotion) · ja 後悔 (instance of such an emotion) · da anger (instance of such an emotion) · fi pahoittelu (instance of such an emotion) · pt pesar (instance of such an emotion) · fa افسوس (instance of such an emotion) · it rimpianto (instance of such an emotion) · gl pesar (instance of such an emotion) · eu damu (instance of such an emotion) · es compunción (instance of such an emotion) · mn гэмшил (instance of such an emotion) · sw juto (instance of such an emotion) · hy զղջում (instance of such an emotion) · ca penediment (instance of such an emotion) · ilo babawi (instance of such an emotion) · uk жаль (instance of such an emotion) · ga aiféala (instance of such an emotion) · ru сожале́ние (instance of such an emotion)
Etymology tree
Proto-Italic *wre-
Latin re-der.
Old French re-
Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰreh₁d-der.
Proto-Germanic *grētaną
Frankish *grātander.
Old French *greter
Old French regreterbor.
Middle English regretten
English regret
From Middle English regretten, regreten, from Old French regreter, regrater (“to lament”), from re- (intensive prefix) + *greter, *grater (“to weep”), from Frankish *grātan (“to weep, mourn, lament”), from Proto-Germanic *grētaną (“to weep”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰreh₁d- (“to sound”); and Frankish *greutan (“to cry, weep”), from Proto-Germanic *greutaną (“to weep, cry”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrewd- (“to weep, be sad”), equivalent to re- + greet. Cognate with Old High German grāzan (“to cry”), Old English grǣtan (“to weep, greet”), Old English grēotan (“to weep, lament”), Old Norse gráta (“to weep, groan”), Gothic 𐌲𐍂𐌴𐍄𐌰𐌽 (grētan, “to weep”). More at greet.
Meanings
To feel sorry about (a thing that has or has not happened), afterthink: to wish that a thing had not happened, that something else had happened instead.
Judge Short had gone to town, and Farrar was off for a three days' cruise up the lake. I was bitterly regretting I had not gone with him when the distant notes of a coach horn reached my ear, and I descried a four-in-hand winding its way up the inn road from the direction of Mohair. 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
Dear humanity, we regret bein' alien bastards, we regret comin' to Earth, and we most definitely regret the Corps just blew up our raggedy-ass fleet! 2004 November 9, Bungie, Halo 2, spoken by Avery Johnson (David Scully), Microsoft Game Studios, Xbox, level/area: Outskirts:
He regretted his words.
I don't regret enrolling in law, but I regret not studying some Chinese.
(broadly) To feel sorry about (any thing).
I regret that I have to do this, but I don't have a choice.
They said they regretted to inform us that the train would be late.
(archaic, transitive) To miss; to feel the loss or absence of; to mourn.
He more than ever regretted his home, and with increased desire longed to see his family. 1845, The Church of England Magazine, volume 19, page 301:
This [the Cage] was but one of Cluny’s hiding-places; he had caves, besides, and underground chambers in several parts of his country; and following the reports of his scouts, he moved from one to another as the soldiers drew near or moved away. By this manner of living, and thanks to the affection of his clan, he had not only stayed all this time in safety, while so many others had fled or been taken and slain: but stayed four or five years longer, and only went to France at last by the express command of his master. There he soon died; and it is strange to reflect that he may have regretted his Cage upon Ben Alder. 1886 May 1 – July 31, Robert Louis Stevenson, Kidnapped, being Memoirs of the Adventures of David Balfour in the Year 1751: […], London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 1886, →OCLC:
da angre (feel sorry about some past thing) · pt lamentar (feel sorry about some past thing) · lld muië (feel sorry about some past thing) · cmn 遺憾 /遗憾 (feel sorry about some past thing) · ne पछुतो (feel sorry about some past thing) · mi pōuri (feel sorry about some past thing) · eu damutu (feel sorry about some past thing) · it pentirsi (feel sorry about some past thing) · la paeniteo (feel sorry about some past thing) · hy զղջալ (feel sorry about some past thing) · sh žȁliti (feel sorry about some past thing) · cmn 後悔 /后悔 (feel sorry about some past thing) · la lamentō (feel sorry about some past thing) · hu bán (feel sorry about some past thing) · io regretar (feel sorry about some past thing) · swb ujutsa (feel sorry about some past thing) · mi whakapāha (feel sorry about some past thing) · nds leed dohn (feel sorry about some past thing) · bg съжалявам (to feel sorry about anything) · nb angre (feel sorry about some past thing) · es lamentar (to feel sorry about anything) · uk жалкува́ти (feel sorry about some past thing) · ia regrettar (to feel sorry about anything) · ca recar (feel sorry about some past thing) · nn beklaga (to feel sorry about anything) · gl arrepentir (feel sorry about some past thing) · gl lamentar (feel sorry about some past thing) · fi olla pahoillaan (to feel sorry about anything) · yi באַדויערן (feel sorry about some past thing) · ko 후회하다 (feel sorry about some past thing) · ro regreta (feel sorry about some past thing) · ar تَأَسَّفَ (feel sorry about some past thing) · grc μεταγιγνώσκω (feel sorry about some past thing) · mi kōhau (feel sorry about some past thing) · fr regretter (feel sorry about some past thing) · da beklage (to feel sorry about anything) · su kaduhung (feel sorry about some past thing) · sa शोचति (feel sorry about some past thing) · it rimpiangere (feel sorry about some past thing) · ru сожале́ть (to feel sorry about anything) · fi olla pahoillaan (feel sorry about some past thing) · ja 悔いる (feel sorry about some past thing) · ne पश्चाताप (feel sorry about some past thing) · nl betreuren (feel sorry about some past thing) · it rammaricarsi (to feel sorry about anything) · gil raraomaeakina (feel sorry about some past thing) · ia regrettar (feel sorry about some past thing) · nn angre (feel sorry about some past thing) · lld muië (to feel sorry about anything) · nb beklage (feel sorry about some past thing) · ar نَدِمَ (feel sorry about some past thing) · ia lamentar (feel sorry about some past thing) · got 𐌹𐌳𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌲𐍉𐌽 (feel sorry about some past thing) · nn beklage (to feel sorry about anything) · cs litovat (feel sorry about some past thing) · nn beklage (feel sorry about some past thing) · th เสียใจ (to feel sorry about anything) · sv beklaga (to feel sorry about anything) · is harma (to feel sorry about anything) · it lamentare (feel sorry about some past thing) · pms regreté (feel sorry about some past thing) · bg жаля́ (feel sorry about some past thing) · be шкадава́ць (feel sorry about some past thing) · fo angra (feel sorry about some past thing) · nb beklage (to feel sorry about anything) · mi āwhitu (feel sorry about some past thing) · fa افسوسیدن (feel sorry about some past thing) · ia lamentar (to feel sorry about anything) · eo bedaŭri (to feel sorry about anything) · fo harmast (to feel sorry about anything) · sv ångra (feel sorry about some past thing) · el λυπούμαι (feel sorry about some past thing) · ang hrēowan (feel sorry about some past thing) · th เสียดาย (feel sorry about some past thing) · ru жале́ть (feel sorry about some past thing) · fa افسوس خوردن (feel sorry about some past thing) · de bedauern (feel sorry about some past thing) · mi kaniawhea (to feel sorry about anything) · bg съжаля́вам (feel sorry about some past thing) · pt lamentar (to feel sorry about anything) · sl obžalovati (feel sorry about some past thing) · mfe regrete (feel sorry about some past thing) · grc μεταμέλομαι (feel sorry about some past thing) · mn гэмших (feel sorry about some past thing) · te విచారించు (feel sorry about some past thing) · el μετανιώνω (feel sorry about some past thing) · et kahetsema (feel sorry about some past thing) · sk žialiť (feel sorry about some past thing) · eo bedaŭri (feel sorry about some past thing) · cs želet (feel sorry about some past thing) · ms sesal (to feel sorry about anything) · ca lamentar (feel sorry about some past thing) · pt arrepender-se (feel sorry about some past thing) · es repentirse [de] (feel sorry about some past thing) · ca pesar (feel sorry about some past thing) · km ស្តាយគំនិត (feel sorry about some past thing) · io regretar (to feel sorry about anything) · es compungirse (feel sorry about some past thing) · pl żałować (feel sorry about some past thing) · es arrepentirse [de] (feel sorry about some past thing) · de bereuen (feel sorry about some past thing) · sh жа̏лити (feel sorry about some past thing) · nl berouwen (feel sorry about some past thing) · de leidtun (feel sorry about some past thing) · ms sesal (feel sorry about some past thing) · sk ľutovať (feel sorry about some past thing) · km ស្ដាយ (feel sorry about some past thing) · hi पछताना (feel sorry about some past thing) · da fortryde (feel sorry about some past thing) · he הצטער (feel sorry about some past thing) · su hanjakal (feel sorry about some past thing) · mk жали (feel sorry about some past thing) · mn харамсах (feel sorry about some past thing) · cy edifaru (feel sorry about some past thing) · nn beklaga (feel sorry about some past thing) · ase A@Chest-PalmBack CirclesVert (feel sorry about some past thing) · sq pendohem (feel sorry about some past thing) · ru сожале́ть (feel sorry about some past thing) · km នឹកស្តាយក្រោយ (feel sorry about some past thing) · is sjá eftir (feel sorry about some past thing) · sh zažaliti (feel sorry about some past thing) · id menyesal (to feel sorry about anything) · fi katua (feel sorry about some past thing) · hu sajnál (feel sorry about some past thing) · sv beklaga (feel sorry about some past thing) · it rammaricarsi (feel sorry about some past thing) · ca penedir-se (feel sorry about some past thing) · hu megbán (feel sorry about some past thing) · ca recar (to feel sorry about anything) · mba migbasol (feel sorry about some past thing) · ja 後悔する (feel sorry about some past thing) · mi āwhitu (to feel sorry about anything) · hi पछताना (to feel sorry about anything) · es lamentar (feel sorry about some past thing) · ja 残念に思う (feel sorry about some past thing) · fa پشیمان شدن (feel sorry about some past thing) · uk шкодува́ти (feel sorry about some past thing) · vi hối tiếc (feel sorry about some past thing) · clt ngiepachiy (feel sorry about some past thing) · vi hối hận (feel sorry about some past thing) · tr pişman olmak (feel sorry about some past thing) · haw mihi (feel sorry about some past thing) · th เสียใจ (feel sorry about some past thing) · nl spijten (feel sorry about some past thing)