different between clemency vs forgiveness

English

Etymology

From Latin cl?mentia.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?kl?.m?n.si/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?kl?.m?n.si/, /?kl?.m?nt.si/

Noun

clemency (countable and uncountable, plural clemencies)

1. The gentle or kind exercise of power; leniency, mercy; compassion in judging or punishing.
   • 2010, Priyamvada Gopal, The Guardian, 4 May 2010:

     A death sentence for Kasab, seen to represent Pakistan, will be widely supported in a frenzy of righteous retribution. Presidential clemency is politically improbable.

2. (law) A pardon, commutation, or similar reduction, removal, or postponement of legal penalties by an executive officer of a state.
3. (now rare) Mildness of weather.

Related terms

• clement

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English forgiveness, forgifnes, from Old English for?ifnes, for?iefnes, for?iefennes (“forgiveness, remission, indulgence, permission”, literally “forgivenness”), equivalent to forgiven +? -ness. Cognate with Dutch vergiffenis.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /f????vn?s/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /f????vn?s/
• Hyphenation: for?give?ness

Noun

forgiveness (usually uncountable, plural forgivenesses)

1. The action of forgiving.
   • 1931, Mahatma Gandhi, Young India

     The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

2. Readiness to forgive.

Synonyms

• (action of forgiving): remission
• (readiness to forgive): mercy

Translations

References

• forgiveness in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.