the ability to understand and share the feelings of another
example
Her ability to show deep empathy for others made her a great counselor.
synonyms
compassionunderstandingsympathy
word origin — from Greek 'empatheia', meaning 'passion, state of feeling' (from 'em-' meaning 'in' and 'pathos' meaning 'suffering or feeling')
empathy, plethora, atheist, sycophant, commodity: meanings and examples
Learn these 5 words from TOEFL Vocabulary set 136. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.
empathy · noun/ˈɛmˌpæθi/
the ability to understand and share the feelings of another
Her ability to show deep empathy for others made her a great counselor.
Synonyms: compassion, understanding, sympathy
Origin: from Greek 'empatheia', meaning 'passion, state of feeling' (from 'em-' meaning 'in' and 'pathos' meaning 'suffering or feeling')
plethora · noun/ˈplɛθərə/
an excess or overabundance of something
The garden was filled with a plethora of colorful flowers, attracting numerous butterflies and bees.
Synonyms: abundance, surplus, excess
Origin: from Greek 'plethore' meaning 'fullness' or 'excess'
atheist · noun/ˈeɪθiɪst/
a person who does not believe in the existence of god or gods
As an outspoken atheist, she often engages in debates about the existence of God.
Synonyms: nonbeliever, skeptic, disbeliever
Origin: The word 'atheist' originates from the Greek word 'atheos', meaning 'without gods' (a- meaning 'without' + theos meaning 'god')
sycophant · noun/ˈsɪkəfænt/
a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage
In his workplace, he was known as a sycophant, always flattering the manager to secure his promotions.
Synonyms: flatterer, toady, groveler
Origin: The word 'sycophant' originates from the Greek 'sykophantēs', which means 'informer' or 'accuser', and is related to 'sykon' (fig) and 'phaino' (to show).
commodity · noun/kəˈmɑːdəti/
a basic good used in commerce that is interchangeable with other goods of the same type
The price of oil as a crucial commodity fluctuates based on global supply and demand.
Synonyms: product, good, item
Origin: from Latin 'commoditas' meaning 'convenience, advantage', from 'commodus' meaning 'convenient, suitable'.