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Definition of pieties - 3 dictionary results

pi⋅e⋅ty

  [pahy-i-tee]
Use pieties in a Sentence
–noun, plural -ties.
1. reverence for God or devout fulfillment of religious obligations: a prayer full of piety.
2. the quality or state of being pious: saintly piety.
3. dutiful respect or regard for parents, homeland, etc.: filial piety.
4. a pious act, remark, belief, or the like: the pieties and sacrifices of an austere life.
Origin:
1275–1325; ME piete < MF < L pietās, equiv. to pi(us) + -etās, var. (after i) of -itās; see pious, -ity

Synonyms:
1. respect, veneration, awe. 2. godliness, devotion, devoutness, sanctity, holiness.

Antonyms:
irreverence.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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pi·e·ty   (pī'ĭ-tē)   
n.   pl. pi·e·ties

  1. The state or quality of being pious, especially:

    1. Religious devotion and reverence to God.

    2. Devotion and reverence to parents and family: filial piety.

    3. A position held conventionally or hypocritically.

    4. A statement of such a position: "the liberated pieties of people who believe that social attitudes have kept pace with women's aspirations" (Erica Abeel).

  2. A devout act, thought, or statement.

    1. A position held conventionally or hypocritically.

    2. A statement of such a position: "the liberated pieties of people who believe that social attitudes have kept pace with women's aspirations" (Erica Abeel).


[Middle English piete, mercy, pity, from Old French, from Latin pietās, dutiful conduct, from pius, dutiful.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

piety 
1195, from O.Fr. piete (12c.), from L. pietatem (nom. pietas) "dutiful conduct, kindness, piety," from pius "kind" (see pious). Pietism (1697), is from Ger. Pietismus, originally applied in derision to the movement to revive personal piety in the Lutheran Church, begun in Frankfurt c.1670 by Philipp Jakob Spener (1635-1705).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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