Nearby Words
Synonyms
adjective
1.
characterized by, proceeding from, exhibiting, or feeling sympathy; sympathizing; compassionate: a sympathetic listener.
2.
acting or affected by, of the nature of, or pertaining to a special affinity or mutual relationship; congenial: With their many similar tastes, he found her a most sympathetic companion.
3.
looking upon with favor (often followed by to or toward): She is sympathetic to the project.
4.
Anatomy, Physiology.
a.
pertaining to that part of the autonomic nervous system consisting of nerves that arise from the thoracic and lumbar regions of the spinal cord, and functioning in opposition to the parasympathetic system, as in stimulating heartbeat, dilating the pupil of the eye, etc.
b.
Obsolete. pertaining to the autonomic nervous system in its entirety.
5.
Physics. noting or pertaining to vibrations, sounds, etc., produced by a body as the direct result of similar vibrations in a different body.
Related forms
sym·pa·thet·i·cal·ly, adverb
non·sym·pa·thet·ic, adjective
non·sym·pa·thet·i·cal·ly, adverb
qua·si-sym·pa·thet·ic, adjective
qua·si-sym·pa·thet·i·cal·ly, adverb
EXPANDsu·per·sym·pa·thet·ic, adjective
un·sym·pa·thet·ic, adjective
un·sym·pa·thet·i·cal·ly, adverb
COLLAPSESynonyms
1. commiserating, kind, tender, affectionate.
1. commiserating, kind, tender, affectionate.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Sympathetic
is always a great word to know.
So is tonsil. Does it mean:
| a prominent oval mass of lymphoid tissue on each side of the throat |
| a semilunar valve between the pulmonary artery and the right ventricle of the heart that prevents the blood from flowing back into the right ventricle |
Collins
World English Dictionary
| sympathetic (ˌsɪmpəˈθɛtɪk) | |
| —adj (when postpositive, | |
| 1. | characterized by, feeling, or showing sympathy; understanding |
| 2. | in accord with the subject's personality or mood; congenial: a sympathetic atmosphere |
| 3. | showing agreement (with) or favour (towards): sympathetic to the proposals |
| 4. | anatomy, physiol Compare parasympathetic of or relating to the division of the autonomic nervous system that acts in opposition to the parasympathetic system accelerating the heartbeat, dilating the bronchi, inhibiting the smooth muscles of the digestive tract, etc |
| 5. | relating to vibrations occurring as a result of similar vibrations in a neighbouring body: sympathetic strings on a sitar |
| sympa'thetically | |
| —adv | |
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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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
sympathetic
1640s, "pertaining to sympathy," from Mod.L. sympatheticus, from Gk. sympathetikos, from sympathein, from sympathes "having a fellow feeling, affected by like feelings" (see sympathy). Meaning "having fellow feeling" is recorded from 1718. In anatomical sense, the word
EXPAND is attested from 1769, from Mod.L. (nervus) sympathicus, coined by Jacques-Benigne Winslow (1669-1760), Danish anatomist living in Paris. Related: Sympathetically.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
sympathetic sym·pa·thet·ic (sĭm'pə-thět'ĭk)
adj.
Of, relating to, or acting on the sympathetic nervous system.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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