contrition

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   sincere remorse or penitence for wrongdoing

   He confessed with evident contrition and begged forgiveness.

From Old French contricion, from Late Latin contritio(n-) ('a grinding, crushing; in the ecclesiastical sense, sorrow for sin'), from conterere ('to grind down'), from con- (intensive) + terere ('to rub').

Topics