compassion

[kuh m-pash-uh n] /kəmˈpæʃ ən/
noun
1.
a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.
verb (used with object)
2.
Archaic. to compassionate.
Origin
1300-50; Middle English (< Anglo-French) < Late Latin compassiōn- (stem of compassiō). See com-, passion
Related forms
compassionless, adjective
uncompassion, noun
uncompassioned, adjective
Synonyms
1. commiseration, mercy, tenderness, heart, clemency. See sympathy.
Antonyms
1. mercilessness, indifference.
British Dictionary definitions for compassion

compassion

/kəmˈpæʃən/
noun
1.
a feeling of distress and pity for the suffering or misfortune of another, often including the desire to alleviate it
Word Origin
C14: from Old French, from Late Latin compassiō fellow feeling, from compatī to suffer with, from Latin com- with + patī to bear, suffer
Word Origin and History for compassion
n.

mid-14c., from Old French compassion "sympathy, pity" (12c.), from Late Latin compassionem (nominative compassio) "sympathy," noun of state from past participle stem of compati "to feel pity," from com- "together" (see com-) + pati "to suffer" (see passion).

Latin compassio is an ecclesiastical loan-translation of Greek sympatheia (see sympathy). An Old English loan-translation of compassion was efenðrowung.