Remorse Literally Bites You Back
Remorse is deep regret for something you have done. The Latin means to bite again, which is what a guilty conscience does.
Remorse is painful regret for one's own past actions. The image inside the word is physical: Latin *remordere* means to bite back, so remorse is the conscience biting. The phrase *the bite of conscience* is a direct translation of the same idea from several European languages.
- Deep regret for one's own actions. *He showed no remorse.*
- Remorseful — feeling remorse. *A remorseful apology.*
- Without remorse — pitilessly. *Pursued without remorse.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | remorse | Genuine remorse. |
| Adjective | remorseful | A remorseful letter. |
| Adjective | remorseless | Remorseless pressure. |
| Adverb | remorselessly | Advancing remorselessly. |
| Related | regret | Deep regret. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The court noted his lack of remorse.A factor in sentencing.
- Buyer's remorse set in the next morning.Regret after a purchase.
- The rain was remorseless.Remorseless means relentless, not guilty.
Regret words
- Regret — wishing something had not happened
- Remorse — regret with guilt for your own act
- Contrition — remorse with a wish to make amends
- Guilt — the sense of having done wrong
- Shame — a sense of being wrong, rather than having done wrong
From Medieval Latin *remorsum*, a biting back, from *remordere*, from *re-* and *mordere*, to bite — the same root as *morsel*, a little bite.
Remorse or regret?
Regret can be about anything, including bad luck. Remorse is specifically about your own wrongdoing.
Why does *remorseless* mean relentless?
Because someone feeling no remorse does not stop. The word shifted from pitiless to unrelenting.