Mitleid

German

Etymology

From Middle High German mitelīden, first used in mystic literature as a calque of Latin compassiō (“compassion”), itself a calque of Ancient Greek συμπάθεια (sumpátheia, “compassion, sympathy”). By surface analysis, mit (“with”) +‎ Leid (“sorrow, suffering”). From Middle High German is borrowed Dutch medelijden.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɪtlaɪ̯t/
• Hyphenation: Mit‧leid

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Mitleid n (strong, genitive Mitleides or Mitleids, no plural)

1. pity, compassion

   (mit jemandem) Mitleid empfinden ― to feel pity/sorry (for someone)

Declension

Declension of Mitleid [sg-only, neuter, strong]

	singular
	indef.	def.	noun
nominative	ein	das	Mitleid
genitive	eines	des	Mitleides, Mitleids
dative	einem	dem	Mitleid, Mitleide1
accusative	ein	das	Mitleid

¹Now rare, see notes.

Derived terms

• mitleiderregend
• mitleiden
• mitleidig
• Selbstmitleid

Related terms

• Mitfreude
• Mitleidenschaft
• Sympathie

Further reading

• “Mitleid” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Mitleid” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “Mitleid” in Duden online
• Mitleid on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de