What does "compassionate" mean?

1. (showing sympathy) feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others who are suffering. 2. (emergency leave) granted to someone because of a family emergency, like a death in the family. 3. (to feel pity for) to feel deep sympathy or pity for someone.

compassionate

adj. · v.

US //kəmˈpæʃənət// UK //kəmpˈæʃənət// com·pas·sion·ate

1 showing sympathy (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others who are suffering.

feeling or showing compassion; motivated by a desire to alleviate the suffering of others.

Example

The nurse was very compassionate and stayed with the patient until his family arrived.

Example

A compassionate leader recognizes that the well-being of their staff is just as important as the organization's quarterly targets.
2 emergency leave (adj.)
C1 Advanced Formal

granted to someone because of a family emergency, like a death in the family.

granted on the grounds of a personal or family emergency, typically regarding employment leave or prison release.

Example

He was granted compassionate leave to attend his father's funeral.

Example

The company policy allows for five days of compassionate leave in the event of the death of an immediate family member.
- emergency
- humanitarian

Show 1 more senseShow fewer

3 to feel pity for (v.)
C2 Proficiency Archaic Literary

to feel deep sympathy or pity for someone.

to feel compassion for or to pity someone. This transitive use is largely restricted to older literature.

Example

The king began to compassionate the poor man's difficult situation.

Example

In the classic novel, the protagonist finds himself able to compassionate even his greatest enemies after witnessing their shared misery.

Usage

Takes a direct object.
- pity
- sympathize

Origin

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