different between compassion vs concern

English

Etymology

From Middle English compassioun, compassion, from Old French compassion, from Ecclesiastical Latin compassio (“sympathy”), from Latin compati, past participle compassus (“to suffer together with”), from com- (“together”) + pati (“to suffer”); see passion.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /k?m?pæ?.?n/
• Rhymes: -æ??n

Noun

compassion (usually uncountable, plural compassions)

1. Deep awareness of the suffering of another, coupled with the wish to relieve it.
   • 1849, Robert Leighton (Archbishop of Glasgow), A practical commentary upon the first Epistle of St. Peter (page 47)

     Oh! the unspeakable privilege to have Him for our Father, who is the Father of mercies and compassions, and those not barren, fruitless pityings, for He is withal the God of all consolations.

Synonyms

• (deep awareness of another's suffering): empathy, mercy, ruth, pity, sorrow, tenderheartedness
• (desire to relieve another's suffering): kindness, heart, mercy, ruth, tenderheartedness

Derived terms

• compassionable
• compassionate
• compassion fatigue

Related terms

• compatible
• passion

Translations

Verb

compassion (third-person singular simple present compassions, present participle compassioning, simple past and past participle compassioned)

1. (obsolete) To pity.
   • 1607, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Titus Andronicus, IV. i. 124:

     O heavens, can you hear a good man groan / And not relent, or not compassion him?

   • 1830, The Last of the Supernaturalists, in James Fraser (editor), Fraser's Magazine, Volume 1, page 226,

     Both wanted in early life the one thing essential to every individual, of whatever nature or degree of intellect, a kind, compassioning adviser; - a true friend; […] .

Further reading

• compassion in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• compassion in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Ecclesiastical Latin compassi?, compassi?nem, from Latin compatior.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k??.pa.sj??/

Noun

compassion f (plural compassions)

1. compassion, pity

Related terms

• compatir
• passion

Further reading

• “compassion” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Middle English

Noun

compassion

1. Alternative form of compassioun

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French concerner, from Medieval Latin concern?, concernere (“I distinguish, have respect to”), from Latin concern? (“I mix, sift, or mingle together, as in a sieve”), combined form of con- + cern? (“distinguish”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /k?n?s?n/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /k?n?s??n/
• Rhymes: -??(?)n
• Hyphenation: con?cern

Noun

concern (countable and uncountable, plural concerns)

1. That which affects one’s welfare or happiness. A matter of interest to someone.

   Synonym: interest

2. The expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person.
3. A business, firm or enterprise; a company.

4. (programming) Any set of information that affects the code of a computer program.
   • 2006, Awais Rashid, Mehmet Aksit, Transactions on Aspect-Oriented Software Development II, page 148:

     At the programming level, an aspect is a modular unit that implements a concern.

Translations

Further reading

• concern in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• concern in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Verb

concern (third-person singular simple present concerns, present participle concerning, simple past and past participle concerned)

1. (transitive) To relate or belong to; to have reference to or connection with; to affect the interest of; to be of importance to.
   • 1611, Bible (KJV), Acts xxviii. 31

     Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ.

   • 1708, Joseph Addison, The Present State of the War, and the Necessity of an Augmentation

     our wars with France have always affected us in our most tender interests, and concerned us more than those we have had with any other nation

   • 1821, James Fenimore Cooper, The Spy

     ignorant, so far as the usual instruction was concerned
2. (transitive) To engage by feeling or sentiment; to interest.
   • a. 1729, John Rogers, A Sufficiency adjusted and recommended

     They think themselves out the reach of Providence, and no longer concerned to solicit his favour.
3. (transitive) To make somebody worried.

Synonyms

• (to be of importance to): See also Thesaurus:pertain

Derived terms

• concernable

Translations

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English concern.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?n?s?rn/
• Hyphenation: con?cern
• Rhymes: -?rn

Noun

concern n (plural concerns, diminutive concerntje n)

1. company, business, concern

Derived terms

• chemieconcern