empath
UK[ˈɛmpaθ]US[ˈɛmpaθ]
n
A person with the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Morpheme Breakdown
em
path
em
in
path
feeling
Etymology
The word 'empath' is a modern English formation, coined in the mid-20th century within science fiction literature. It is a back-formation from the much older term 'empathy', which itself derives from the German aesthetic term Einfühlung ('feeling into'), translated using the Greek root pathos. The construction directly follows the model of words like 'psychopath', combining the prefix 'em-' (in) with the root 'path' (feeling) to create a noun meaning 'one who feels [the emotions of another] from within'. This concise morphological blend effectively captures the core concept of intuitive emotional understanding.
Analysis
Structure: em (in) + path (feeling)
- em: A prefix of Greek origin via Latin, meaning 'in' or 'within'. It is an assimilated form of 'en-' used before roots beginning with 'p', 'b', or 'm'.
- path: A root of Greek origin (from pathos), meaning 'feeling', 'suffering', or 'experience'.
Examples
In the story, the character is a powerful empath who can sense the emotional turmoil of people around her.
As a trained therapist and a natural empath, he was exceptionally good at making his clients feel understood.
She described feeling overwhelmed in crowded places, a common challenge for self-described empaths.