different between compassion vs impassionate

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

Alternative forms

• empassionate (obsolete)

Etymology

From im- +? passionate.

Pronunciation

• (adjective) IPA^(key): /?m?pæ??n?t/
• (verb) IPA^(key): /?m?pæ??ne?t/

Adjective

impassionate (comparative more impassionate, superlative most impassionate)

1. filled with passion; impassioned

   Synonyms: impassioned, passionate

   • 1900, George P. Hott, Christ, the Teacher, U. B. Publishing House, page 81:

     Young ministers, deeply impressed and longing to pour out the burning, impassionate zeal of their own souls, are apt to abuse the use of this figure.
2. Lacking passion; dispassionate

   Synonym: dispassionate

Translations

Verb

impassionate (third-person singular simple present impassionates, present participle impassionating, simple past and past participle impassionated)

1. (transitive) to affect powerfully; to arouse the passions of
   • 1662, Henry More, The Defence of the Moral Cabbala

     our Saviour Christ was one while deeply impassionated with Sorrow, another while very strongly carried away with Žeal and Anger