remorse
Meaning
A deep feeling of sadness and regret for something wrong that one has done.
Structure
Usage
He was filled with remorse after realizing the hurt his words had caused.
She showed no remorse for her crimes during the trial.
A sudden pang of remorse made him apologize immediately.
Etymology
The word 'remorse' originates from the Late Latin term remorsus, itself a noun derived from the verb remordēre, meaning 'to vex' or 'to torment'. This Latin verb is a combination of the intensive prefix re- and mordēre, meaning 'to bite'. The literal sense is thus 'to bite back' or 'to bite again'. This vivid metaphor evolved from the physical act of biting to describe a persistent, gnawing psychological pain—the feeling of one's conscience 'biting back' after a misdeed. Over time, this concrete imagery solidified into the modern abstract meaning of a deep, regretful anguish over one's own past actions.
Analysis
- re: Latin prefix meaning "again" or used as an intensive. - morse: From Latin morsus (a bite), the past participle of mordēre (to bite).