Where does “empathy” come from?
Empathy derives from Ancient Greek ἐμπάθεια, a compound of ἐν (en, "in") and πάθος (pathos, "feeling or suffering").
empathy (English): Identification with or understanding of the...
Definitions
- Identification with or understanding of the...
Ancestry of “empathy”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ancient Greek | ἐμπάθεια | physical affection |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | -είᾱ | Superficially appears in abstract nouns derived from σ-stem adjectives, with the true suffix being |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | -ής | adjective suffix |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | -ēs | Primarily forms adjectival bahuvrīhi compounds |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | -ess | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -os | Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;... |