compassionate

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /kəmˈpæʃənət/ UK /kəmˈpæʃənət/ See IPA manual

Freq #13516

Meanings

1

adj
Feeling or showing sympathy and concern for people who are suffering.

She spoke in a soft and compassionate voice.
2

adj
Given as an exception because of a family emergency or a death in the family.

He took compassionate leave after his father passed away.
3

verb
To feel compassion for someone; to regard them with sympathy.

She compassionated the refugees and gave whatever she could spare.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · feeling or showing sympathy... empathetic sympathetic

3 verb · to feel compassion for... commiserate pity sympathize withfeel for

Word family

Derived forms compassionatelycompassionatenessdiscompassionateincompassionatenoncompassionateovercompassionateuncompassionate

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

compassionate leave
officially permitted time away from duties because of a serious family emergency

Adjective + noun

Etymology

A pseudo-Latin form of French compassionné, past participle of compassionner (“feel sorry for”). By surface analysis, compassion + -ate.

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# compassionate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj, verb
**IPA (US):** /kəmˈpæʃənət/
**IPA (UK):** /kəmˈpæʃənət/
**Frequency rank:** 13516

## Meanings
1. Feeling or showing sympathy and concern for people who are suffering.
2. Given as an exception because of a family emergency or a death in the family.
3. To feel compassion for someone; to regard them with sympathy.

## Examples
- She spoke in a soft and compassionate voice.
- He took compassionate leave after his father passed away.
- She compassionated the refugees and gave whatever she could spare.

## Derived Forms
- compassionately
- compassionateness
- discompassionate
- incompassionate
- noncompassionate
- overcompassionate
- uncompassionate

## Etymology
A pseudo-Latin form of French compassionné, past participle of compassionner (“feel sorry for”). By surface analysis, compassion + -ate.

## AI Etymology
compassionate is an adjective and verb. A pseudo-Latin form of French compassionné, past participle of compassionner (“feel sorry for”). By surface analysis, compassion + -ate. Current senses include feeling or showing sympathy and concern for people who are suffering, given as an exception because of a family emergency or a death in the family, and to feel compassion for someone; to regard them with sympathy. Derived forms include compassionately, compassionateness, discompassionate, incompassionate, and noncompassionate.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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