Contrite

• POS: Adjective
• HYPHEN: con=trite

CIDE DICTIONARY

Contrite, a. [L. contritus bruised, p. p. of contrere to grind, bruise; con- + terere to rub, grind: cf. F. contrit See Trite.].

•  Thoroughly bruised or broken.  [1913 Webster]
•  Broken down with grief and penitence; deeply sorrowful for sin because it is displeasing to God; humbly and thoroughly penitent.  [1913 Webster]

  "A contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."  [1913 Webster]

  "Be penitent, and for thy fault contrite."

Syn. -- Penitent; repentant; humble; sorrowful.

Contrite, n. 

 A contrite person.  Hooker.  [1913 Webster]

Contrite, v. 

 In a contrite manner.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Contrite, adj.
1 completely penitent.
2 feeling remorse or penitence; affected by guilt.
3 (of an action) showing a contrite spirit.

Derivative

contritely adv. contriteness n.

Etymology

ME f. OF contrit f. L contritus bruised (as COM-, terere trit- rub)

ROGET THESAURUS

Contrite

Penitence

N penitence, contrition, compunction, repentance, remorse, regret, self-reproach, self-reproof, self-accusation, self-condemnation, self-humiliation, stings of conscience, pangs of conscience, qualms of conscience, prickings of conscience, twinge of conscience, twitch of conscience, touch of conscience, voice of conscience, compunctious visitings of nature, acknowledgment, confession, apology, recantation, penance, resipiscence, awakened conscience, deathbed repentance, locus paenitentiae, stool of repentance, cuttystool, penitent, repentant, Magdalen, prodigal son, a sadder and a wiser man, penitent, repenting, repentant, contrite, conscience- smitten, conscience-stricken, self-accusing, self-convicted, penitential, penitentiary, reclaimed, reborn, not hardened, unhardened, mea culpa, peccavi, erubuit, salva res est, Tu l'as voulu, Georges Dandin, and wet his grave with my repentant tears.