empathy

Definition

The ability to understand and share what another person is feeling, almost as if you were in their place. It goes beyond just knowing their situation to emotionally connecting with it.

Etymology

From Greek 'empatheia' (passion, physical affection), from 'en' (in) + 'pathos' (feeling, suffering). The term was adapted into German as 'Einfühlung' (feeling into) in aesthetics, then borrowed into English psychology in the early 1900s. Its meaning narrowed to sharing another’s emotional experience.

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