condolence
n. countablen. an expression of sympathy for someone who is suffering, especially after someone has died. You might send a card or a message to show you care.
n. an expression of sympathy or sorrow for someone who is suffering, particularly in the context of a bereavement. Often used in the plural to refer to the collective messages received.
She sent a card to offer her condolences to the family.
The local community gathered at the funeral to express their condolences and share memories of the deceased.
While the family appreciated the outpouring of support, they requested that any expressions of condolence be directed toward a specific charity in the deceased's name.
From condole + -ence, or from Middle French condoléance, or formed from the root of Latin condoleō (“I sympathize”), from con- (“together, with”) and doleō (“I hurt, suffer, have pain”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 26, 2026