Noun: compassion kum'pa-shun
- The quality of feeling concern and sympathy for others' suffering
"The nurse's compassion comforted many patients";
- compassionateness
- The humane quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it
"Her compassion for the homeless inspired her to start a shelter";
- pity
Derived forms: compassions
Type of: fellow feeling, mercifulness, mercy, sympathy
Encyclopedia: Compassion