contrite
adjective
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L335612 on Wikidata ↗Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /kənˈtɹaɪt/ / /ˈkɒnˌtɹaɪt/ / /ˈkɑnˌtɹaɪt/
adj
Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Proto-Indo-European *terh₁- Latin terō Latin conterō Latin contrītusder. Old French contritbor. Middle English contrit English contrite From Middle English contrit, from Old French contrit, from Latin contrītus (literally “ground to pieces”), perfect passive participle of conterō (“grind, bruise”), from con- + terō (“rub, wear away”).
- Sincerely penitent or feeling regret or sorrow, especially for one’s own actions.
“The Lord will happineſs divine / On contrite hearts beſtow : / Then tell me, gracious God, is mine / A contrite heart, or no ?”
“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.”
- Thoroughly bruised or broken.
noun
Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Proto-Indo-European *terh₁- Latin terō Latin conterō Latin contrītusder. Old French contritbor. Middle English contrit English contrite From Middle English contrit, from Old French contrit, from Latin contrītus (literally “ground to pieces”), perfect passive participle of conterō (“grind, bruise”), from con- + terō (“rub, wear away”).
- A contrite person; a penitent.
“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.”