contrite

English

WOTD – 30 May 2006

Etymology

From Old French contrit, from Latin contrītus, perfect passive participle of conterō (“grind, bruise”), from con- + terō (“rub, wear away”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kənˈtɹaɪt/, /ˈkɒnˌtɹaɪt/
• IPA^(key): /kənˈtɹaɪt/, /ˈkɑnˌtɹaɪt/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Audio (AU):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪt

Adjective

contrite (comparative more contrite, superlative most contrite)

1. Sincerely penitent or feeling regret or sorrow, especially for one’s own actions; apologetic.
   • 1779, John Newton, William Cowper, Olney Hymns, London: W. Oliver, page 81:

     The Lord will happineſs divine / On contrite hearts beſtow : / Then tell me, gracious God, is mine / A contrite heart, or no ?

   • 1955, Joseph Heller, Catch-22‎^[1], chapter 13, page 133:

     He greeted Milo jovially each time they met and, in an excess of contrite generosity, impulsively recommended Major Major for promotion. The recommendation was rejected at once at Twenty-seventh Air Force Headquarters by ex-P.F.C. Wintergreen, who scribbled a brusque, unsigned reminder that the Army had only one Major Major Major Major and did not intend to lose him by promotion just to please Colonel Cathcart.

2. (obsolete) Thoroughly bruised or broken.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:remorseful
• apologetic

Antonyms

• attrite

Derived terms

• contritely
• contriteness

Translations

sincerely penitent

• Bulgarian: разкаян (razkajan)
• Catalan: contrit
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 悔悟了的, 后悔的

• Dutch: rouwvol, met (nl) berouw (nl), berouwvol (nl)
• Finnish: katuva (fi), katuvainen
• French: contrit (fr) m
• German: reuevoll, zerknirscht (de)
• Greek: συντετριμμένος (el) m (syntetrimménos)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Latin: paenitens
• Maori: rīpenetā
• Portuguese: contrito (pt)
• Punjabi: ਪਛਤਾਵਾ (pa) (pachtāvā) ਗਰਸਤ (garsat)
• Russian: кающийся (ru) (kajuščijsja)
• Serbo-Croatian: skrušen (sh) m
• Spanish: contrito (es), arrepentido (es) m
• Swedish: ångerfull
• Tagalog: nagagatik

Noun

contrite (plural contrites)

1. A contrite person; a penitent.
   • a. 1600, Richard Hooker [uncertain], “Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie”, in The Works of Mr. Richard Hooker, London: J. Best, published 1662, book VI, page 178:

     Secondly, that even where contrition or inward repentance doth cleanſe without abſolution ; the reaſon why it cometh ſo to paſs, is, becauſe ſuch contrites intend and deſire Abſolution, though they have it not.

Anagrams

• cornetti, tectorin

---

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɔ̃.tʁit/

Adjective

contrite

1. feminine singular of contrit

---

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /konˈtri.te/

Adjective

contrite

1. feminine plural of contrito

Anagrams

• cornetti

---

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /konˈtriː.te/, [kɔn̪ˈt̪riːt̪ɛ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /konˈtri.te/, [kon̪ˈt̪riːt̪e]

Participle

(deprecated template usage) contrīte

1. vocative masculine singular of contrītus