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remorse

Etymology and origin of the English word remorse

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɹɪˈmɔː(ɹ)s/, /ɹɪˈmɔɹs/[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English remors, borrowed from Old French remors,[2][3][4][5][6] from Medieval Latin remorsum (“a biting back”),[2][3][4] from the past participle of Latin remordēre (“to torment, vex”), literally “to bite again”,[2][3][4][5][6] from Latin re- (“again, back”) + mordēre (“to bite”).[2][3][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the phrase remorse of conscience, the pain of a guilty conscience (c. 1374),[7][4] and on its own a feeling of deep regret for a wrong committed (about 1385).[3][7]

Semantic evolution

The sense developed through the Medieval Latin phrase remorsus conscientiae, Chaucer's remors of conscience, which was also rendered in Middle English as ayenbite of inwit “again-bite of the inner wit”.[4] In the 16th century remorse could also mean pity or compassion, a sense now obsolete.[7][2][5][6]

Timeline

  • c. 1374 – remorse of conscience.[7][4]
  • c. 1385 – deep regret for a wrong.[3][7]
  • before 1547 – pity, compassion (obsolete).[7]
  • 1591 – remorseful.[3]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. Deep and painful regret for wrongdoing; moral anguish arising from a sense of guilt; contrition.
  2. (obsolete) Pity; compassion.

Word family

  • remorseless
  • mordant
  • morsel
  • remorseful
  • regret

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b c Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  7. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Remorse.” Etymologically, 11 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/remorse. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·