erbarmen

Meaning

Verb

to have mercy, to take pity

Noun

mercy, pity

Concepts

pity

mercy

sympathy

compassion

commiseration

empathy

remorse

rue

misericorde

ruth

Synonyms

medelijden

compassie

mededogen

piëta

medeleven

vergeving

vergiffenis

erbarming

deernis

genade

Translations

piedade

compaixão

pitié

compassion

Mitleid

pietà

apitoiement

Erbarmen

piedad

compassione

Mitgefühl

compassió

شَفقة

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɛrˈbɑrmə(n)/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle Dutch: erbarmen

In summary

From Middle Dutch erbarmen, from Old High German irbarmēn, with two prefixes ir- + ab- + armēn. The base verb derives from Proto-West Germanic *armēn, from Proto-Germanic *armāną (“to pity”), from *armaz (“poor”) (modern arm). The word ontfermen derives from the same source, with a different prefix.