Word of the Day

Sunday, February 18, 2001

contrite

\KON-tryt; kuhn-TRYT\ , adjective;

Deeply affected with grief and regret for having done wrong; penitent; as, "a contrite sinner."

Expressing or arising from contrition; as, "contrite words."

Quotes:

Contrite sinners forgiven, yes.

-- Richard de Mille, My Secret Mother

Within days, a contrite Clarence Arthur was sending her roses and violets, even a bad poem.

-- Paul Mariani, The Broken Tower

Often he'd look contrite and even apologize.

-- Rafer Johnson with Philip Goldberg, The Best That I Can Be

Origin:

Contrite derives from Latin conterere, "to rub away, to grind," hence "to obliterate, to abase," from con- + terere, "to rub, to rub away."