compassionate

adjective

having or showing compassion: a compassionate person; a compassionate letter.

granted in an emergency: compassionate military leave granted to attend a funeral.

Obsolete, pitiable.

verb (used with object)

Archaic. to pity or have compassion for.

Origin:
1580–90; compassion + -ate¹

Related forms

com·pas·sion·ate·ly, adverb

com·pas·sion·ate·ness, noun

un·com·pas·sion·ate, adjective

un·com·pas·sion·ate·ly, adverb

un·com·pas·sion·ate·ness, noun

Synonyms
1. pitying, sympathizing, sympathetic, tender.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To compassionate

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Collins

World English Dictionary

compassionate (kəmˈpæʃənət)

—*adj*
1.	showing or having compassion
2.	compassionate leave leave granted, esp to a serviceman, on the grounds of bereavement, family illness, etc

com'passionately

—*adv*

com'passionateness

—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

compassionate

1580s, from compassion. Phrase compassionate conservatism in American political language first recorded by 1992, popularized, if not coined, by Marvin Olasky, University of Texas at Austin instructor.

Matching Quote

"This administration is going to be a compassionate administration. We believe in the Golden Rule of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you."

-Lyndon Baines Johnson

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