Sympathy
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219047057
2008-06-13T09:41:05Z
Aleenf1
818523
Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/116.15.41.121|116.15.41.121]] ([[User talk:116.15.41.121|talk]]) to last version by Dirt695
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'''Sympathy''' is a social affinity in which one person stands with another person, closely understanding his or her feelings. The word derives from the [[Greek language|Greek]] ''συμπάθεια'' (''sympatheia'')<ref>[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%2398480 Sympatheia, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''A Greek-English Lexicon'', at Perseus]</ref>, from ''συν'' (''syn'') "together" + ''πάθος'' (''[[pathos]]''), in this case "suffering" (from ''πάσχω'' - ''pascho'', "to be affected by, to suffer"). It also can mean being affected by like feelings or emotions. Thus the essence of sympathy is that one has a strong concern for the other person. Sympathy should not be confused with empathy (more than simply the recognition of another's suffering, empathy is actually sharing another's suffering, if only briefly).
Sympathy exists when the feelings or [[emotions]] of one person are deeply understood and even appreciated by another person.
In common usage, sympathy is usually making known one's understanding of another's [[unhappiness]] or [[suffering]], but it can also refer to being aware of other ([[positive]]) emotions as well.
In a broader sense, it can refer to the sharing of political or [[ideology|ideological]] sentiments, such as in the phrase "a [[communism|communist]] sympathizer".
The [[psychology|psychological]] state of sympathy is closely linked with that of [[compassion]] and [[empathy]].
==See also==
{{wiktionary}}
*[[Condolences]]
*[[Emotional intelligence]]
*[[Acceptance]]
*[[Compassion]]
*[[Empathy]]
*[[Pity]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Emotion-footer}}
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[[Category:Emotion]]
[[Category:Virtues]]
[[Category:Greek loanwords]]
[[da:Sympati]]
[[de:Sympathie]]
[[et:Kaastunne]]
[[it:Simpatia]]
[[ja:同情]]
[[no:Sympati]]
[[pl:Sympatia]]
[[ru:Сочувствие]]
[[simple:Sympathy]]
[[sk:Sympatia]]
[[sr:Симпатија]]
[[sv:Sympati]]