ruth

C2+ Topic:Register & Style

US /ruθ/ UK /ruːθ/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like route /θ/ vs /t/

Meanings

1

noun
compassion or pity for another's suffering (archaic)

He showed no ruth toward his fallen enemies.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · compassion or pity for... compassion pity mercy sympathy sorrow remorse tenderness

Opposites

ruthlessness cruelty callousness

Word family

Derived forms ruthful ruthless

Related forms rue ruthlessruthfully

Etymology

From Middle English ruthe, reuthe ('pity, compassion'), formed from the verb reuen ('to rue, feel pity') with the noun suffix -th, of Germanic origin.

reuthe Middle English hrēow Old English

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Topics

External links

# ruth

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ruθ/
**IPA (UK):** /ruːθ/

## Meanings
1. compassion or pity for another's suffering (archaic)

## Examples
- He showed no ruth toward his fallen enemies.

## Synonyms
- compassion
- pity
- mercy
- sympathy
- sorrow
- remorse
- tenderness

## Antonyms
- ruthlessness
- cruelty
- callousness

## Derived Forms
- ruthful
- ruthless

## Related Forms
- rue
- ruthless
- ruthfully

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: reuthe
- Root: hrēow

## Etymology
From Middle English ruthe, reuthe ('pity, compassion'), formed from the verb reuen ('to rue, feel pity') with the noun suffix -th, of Germanic origin.

## AI Etymology
Ruth is from Middle English ruthe, reuthe ('pity, compassion'), formed from the verb reuen ('to rue, feel pity') with the noun suffix -th, of Germanic origin. In present-day use, it means compassion or pity for another's suffering (archaic). Derived formations include ruthful and ruthless. Related vocabulary includes rue, ruthless, and ruthfully.

## Topics
- Register & Style
- General Vocabulary

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