Word a Day
pity
What does pity mean?
pity (noun): a feeling of sympathy at the misfortune or suffering of someone or something.
Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How do you pronounce pity?
/ˈpɪti/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does pity come from?
From Middle English pitye, pitie, pittye, pitee, pite, from Anglo-Norman pité, pittee etc., from Old French pitet, pitié, from Latin pietās.
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Test yourself: do you know “pity”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “pity” mean?
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
Not quite: that's what character means.
a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end
Not quite: that's what campaign means.
a feeling of sympathy at the misfortune or suffering of someone or something
Right! That's what “pity” means.
a difficulty, problem, condition, or action contributing to such a situation
Not quite: that's what trouble means.
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