compassion

compassion
    n 1: a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering
         [syn: {compassion}, {compassionateness}]
    2: the humane quality of understanding the suffering of others
       and wanting to do something about it [syn: {compassion},
       {pity}]
    

Compassion \Com*pas"sion\, n. [F., fr. L. compassio, fr. compati
   to have compassion; com- + pati to bear, suffer. See
   {Patient}.]
   Literally, suffering with another; a sensation of sorrow
   excited by the distress or misfortunes of another; pity;
   commiseration.
   [1913 Webster]

         Womanly ingenuity set to work by womanly compassion.
                                                  --Macaulay.

   Syn: Pity; sympathy; commiseration; fellow-feeling; mercy;
        condolence. See {Pity}.
        [1913 Webster]
    

Compassion \Com*pas"sion\, v. t.
   To pity. [Obs.] --Shak.
   [1913 Webster]
    

66 Moby Thesaurus words for "compassion":
      acceptance, affectionateness, benevolence, benignancy, benignity,
      brotherhood, charity, clemency, clementness, commiseration,
      condolence, easiness, easygoingness, empathy, favor, feeling,
      feeling of kinship, fellow feeling, forbearance, forbearing,
      forgiveness, fraternal feeling, gentleness, goodness,
      goodness of heart, grace, graciousness, heart of gold, humaneness,
      humanity, kindheartedness, kindliness, kindly disposition,
      kindness, laxness, lenience, leniency, lenientness, lenity,
      loving kindness, mercifulness, mercy, mildness, mitigation,
      moderateness, niceness, pardon, pathos, patience, pity, quarter,
      relief, reprieve, rue, ruth, self-pity, softheartedness, softness,
      soul of kindness, sympathy, tenderheartedness, tenderness,
      tolerance, warmheartedness, warmth, warmth of heart