Contrite
/kənˈtraɪt/noun
Feeling deep remorse or guilt for wrongdoing.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin *contritus*, the past participle of *conterere* (“to grind, wear down”), so its oldest sense is literally being spiritually broken down by pressure.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*tere-
“to rub, rub away, wear down”
Latin
Latin
terere
“to rub, grind, wear out”
Latin
Latin
conterere
“to crush, grind to pieces, wear away”
Late Latin
Latin
contritus
“crushed, ground down; later, spiritually broken”
Middle English
English
contrite
“crushed in spirit; deeply penitent”
Modern English
English
contrite
“feeling or showing sincere remorse”