Word
ruth
US/ˈɹuθ/
UK/ɹˈuːθ/
Definitions
01pity or compassion
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Archaic · Literary
n. a feeling of pity or mercy for someone who is suffering.
n. compassion or pity for the distress or misery of another person.
“The knight showed great ruth toward his defeated enemy and spared his life.”
“The poem describes a king who ruled without ruth, showing no mercy to those who begged for his protection.”
Usage
Usually uncountable in this sense.
Teaching tip
Modern students will mostly recognize this root in the adjective 'ruthless' (without pity).
Synonyms
Antonyms
02regret or remorse
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Archaic · Literary
n. a feeling of being sorry for something you have done wrong.
n. sorrow or remorse for one's own faults or past actions.
“He was filled with ruth after realizing how much pain his words had caused.”
“The protagonist spent his final years in a state of deep ruth, lamenting the choices that had led to his isolation.”
Teaching tip
This sense is extremely rare in modern English outside of academic study of Middle English texts.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Ruth the Moabite, Hebrew רות, of uncertain origin, possibly meaning "companion". Also associated with the English noun ruth (“compassion”) by Puritans.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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