piety

American  

[pahy-i-tee] / ˈpaɪ ɪ ti /

noun

plural

pieties

1. reverence for God or devout fulfillment of religious obligations.

   a prayer full of piety.

   Synonyms:

   awe, veneration, respect

2. the quality or state of being pious.

   saintly piety.

   Synonyms:

   holiness, sanctity, devoutness, devotion, godliness

3. dutiful respect or regard for parents, homeland, etc..

   filial piety.

4. a pious act, remark, belief, or the like.

   the pieties and sacrifices of an austere life.

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piety British  

/ ˈpaɪɪtɪ /

noun

1. dutiful devotion to God and observance of religious principles

2. the quality or characteristic of being pious

3. a pious action, saying, etc

4. rare devotion and obedience to parents or superiors

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Other Word Forms

• superpiety noun
• unpiety noun

Etymology

Origin of piety

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English piete, from Middle French, from Latin pietās, equivalent to pi(us) + -etās, variant (after i ) of -itās; pious, -ity

Example Sentences

Iskander’s David is a young man whose youthful piety and heroism make him a sympathetic figure, notwithstanding the bag of cold cuts.

From Salon

The pope "wanted to see for himself what is happening in Monaco, where this movement of renewal is based on an embraced faith, and on an inclusive popular piety and devotion," he told AFP.

From Barron's

“We are a people of piety. We need somebody to blame.”

From Literature

“There’s a lot of baggage wrapped up in piety,” Mr. Sasse says.

From The Wall Street Journal

Corruption came as easily to them as piety did.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• fervor
• loyalty
• religiosity
• reverence
• zeal