piety
piety Lexical Profile
piety Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The quality of being religious, reverent, or deeply devout in spiritual belief and observance.
"Her quiet piety was evident in her daily prayers and charitable work at the parish."
Dutiful respect, loyalty, and affection shown toward one's parents, family, or homeland.
"Confucian philosophy places great emphasis on filial piety and respect for elders."
A conventional, orthodox, or sanctimonious statement or belief accepted without critical thought (usually used in the plural).
"The politician's speech was filled with empty pieties rather than concrete policy proposals."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse with 'pity', with which it shares the same Latin root: 'piety' means religious devotion or dutifulness, whereas 'pity' means sympathy for another's misfortune.
• Rhymes for piety
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Old French 'piete', from Latin 'pietas' ('dutiful conduct, religious devotion, loyalty'), derived from the adjective 'pius' ('dutiful, devout').