empathy

[em-puh-thee] /ˈɛm pə θi/
noun
1.
the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.
2.
the imaginative ascribing to an object, as a natural object or work of art, feelings or attitudes present in oneself:
By means of empathy, a great painting becomes a mirror of the self.
Origin
1900-05; < Greek empátheia affection, equivalent to em- em-2 + path- (base of páschein to suffer) + -eia -ia; present meaning translates German Einfühlung
Can be confused
empathy, sympathy (see synonym study at sympathy)
Synonyms
1. See sympathy.
Spanish Words for empathy

identificación

Hear It
feminine noun
1.
identificación
to feel empathy with somebody
identificarse con somebody, someone

2.
empatía
More Spanish Definitions
Examples from the web for empathy
  • There are numerous shortcuts and tricks that a clever programmer can exploit to give the impression of empathy and understanding.
  • His utter lack of empathy and understanding-- on any level-- prevents him from forming health relationships.
  • Humans are not the only species capable of empathy.
  • Maybe my lack of empathy has something to do with that.
  • As a doctor, you have to be a people person and have empathy.
  • Respect requires trust, equality and empathy.
  • There is an obvious limit to empathy in everyone, and some have more .
  • We all felt strong empathy for her.
  • Reactions to the video have varied from outrage to empathy.
  • His combination of wisdom and empathy came to light on that dark day.
British Dictionary definitions for empathy

empathy

/ˈɛmpəθɪ/
noun
1.
the power of understanding and imaginatively entering into another person's feelings See also identification (sense 3b)
2.
the attribution to an object, such as a work of art, of one's own emotional or intellectual feelings about it
Derived Forms
empathist, noun
Word Origin
C20: from Greek empatheia affection, passion, intended as a rendering of German Einfühlung, literally: a feeling in; see en-², -pathy
Word Origin and History for empathy
n.

1903, from German Einfühlung (from ein "in" + Fühlung "feeling"), coined 1858 by German philosopher Rudolf Lotze (1817-1881) as a translation of Greek empatheia "passion, state of emotion," from en "in" (see en- (2)) + pathos "feeling" (see pathos). A term from a theory of art appreciation that maintains appreciation depends on the viewer's ability to project his personality into the viewed object.

empathy in Medicine

empathy em·pa·thy (ěm'pə-thē)
n.

  1. Direct identification with, understanding of, and vicarious experience of another person's situation, feelings, and motives.

  2. The projection of one's own feelings or emotional state onto an object or animal.

em'pa·thet'ic (-thět'ĭk) or em·path'ic (-pāth'ĭk) adj.
empathy in Culture
empathy [(em-puh-thee)]

Identifying oneself completely with an object or person, sometimes even to the point of responding physically, as when, watching a baseball player swing at a pitch, one feels one's own muscles flex.