compunctious

[ kuhm-puhngk-shuhs ]

adjective

1. causing or feeling compunction; regretful.

Other Words From

• com·punctious·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of compunctious¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; compunct(ion) + -ious

Example Sentences

Blanche meanwhile departs; but feeling some compunctious visitings about the proposed murder of her lover, returns, and again applying her ear to the hole in the wall, finds that his majesty is gone to bed in the garret, and that the brother and sister are consulting about his death.

From Project Gutenberg

The wife felt compunctious visitings, and so the husband might say his say without loss of dignity.

From Project Gutenberg

Knowing, as she did, that the inmates of government house were prepared for the attack, she felt assured that few, if any, of the Caribs would escape; but completely altered in disposition, from the effects of the horrible scenes she had gone through, she experienced no compunctious feelings for the event.

From Project Gutenberg

But the memory of the whole scene came back to him to-day, all mingled strangely with Billy's pale face and the baby's cold little form, until he became quite compunctious and unhappy, and finally felt that he could not spend that remaining sixpence, but must let it burn a hole in his pocket, and do anything, in short, rather than provide him with food and shelter.

From Project Gutenberg

But, amidst my present 'compunctious visitings,' I thought of atoning for my former rebellions by one heroic act of submission.

From Project Gutenberg