condolence
pronunciation
How to pronounce condolence in British English:
UK [kənˈdəʊləns]
How to pronounce condolence in American English:
US [kənˈdoʊləns]
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- Noun:
- an expression of sympathy with another's grief
Word Origin
- condolence
- condolence: [17] Condolence and sympathy are parallel formations: both go back to classical originals (late Latin condolēre and Greek sumpátheia respectively) which meant literally ‘together-suffering’. Latin condolēre was a compound verb formed from the prefix com- ‘together’ and dolēre ‘suffer pain’ (source of English dolour and doleful). This entered English in the 16th century as the now seldom encountered verb condole, but the comparative frequency of the noun condolence is probably due to the early 17th-century adoption of French condoléance (the spelling condoleance was common in English in the 17th and 18th centuries).=> doleful, dolour
- condolence (n.)
- c. 1600, from Late Latin condolere "to suffer together" (see condole) + -ence. Often in form condoleance 1600-1800.
Example
- 1. Your diarist wrote condolence notes to every pole in his contacts book after the tragedy .
- 2. After hitler committed suicide , he sent a telegram of condolence to the german people .
- 3. He thanked emergency response and expressed condolence for loss of life and pledged to make all resources available in the recovery effort .
- 4. Mr brown had contacted mrs janes to apologise about a letter of condolence which contained a series of errors .
- 5. But with that honor comes a solemn responsibility one that gets driven home every time I sign a condolence letter , or meet a family member whose life has been turned upside down .