The word compassion comes from the Latin compassio, which itself is derived from the prefix com- meaning “with” and the verb pati, meaning “to suffer.” So, at its root, compassion means “to suffer with.” It refers to the ability to feel and share the pain or suffering of another, a deep empathy that goes beyond sympathy by implying a desire to help alleviate the suffering.
This etymological background highlights that compassion is not just understanding another’s pain, but being moved to take part in it, standing with them in their experience of hardship.