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sorry — feeling regret or penitence

Part of speech: ADJECTIVE

Definition: feeling regret or penitence

Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈsɔːri/

Example Sentences

  • Sorry, I ate your pizza thinking it was mine!
  • I'm sorry to inform you that your flight is delayed.
  • Sorry, but I can't lend you money again - my wallet is crying!

sorry

ADJECTIVE

[/ˈsɔːri/]

feeling regret or penitence

a young child kneels beside the broken pieces of a beautiful flower vase, hands pressed together apologetically. The child's head is bowed down with tears in their eyes, looking genuinely remorseful. The scattered ceramic pieces and wilted flowers show what happened moments before. A parent stands nearby with a gentle, understanding expression despite the accident. The child's body language shows deep regret for breaking something precious. The parent reaches out with a forgiving gesture toward their upset child.  the child feeling regret and penitence for their actions
💡 Concept

a young child kneels beside the broken pieces of a beautiful flower vase, hands pressed together apologetically. The child's head is bowed down with tears in their eyes, looking genuinely remorseful. The scattered ceramic pieces and wilted flowers show what happened moments before. A parent stands nearby with a gentle, understanding expression despite the accident. The child's body language shows deep regret for breaking something precious. The parent reaches out with a forgiving gesture toward their upset child. the child feeling regret and penitence for their actions

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ˈsɔːri/
🇬🇧 UK/ˈsɒri/

🌳Etymology

Rootsorry

Origin

Sorry derives from Old English 'sarig', originally meaning 'wounded' or 'painful'. Over time, the term underwent semantic shift to denote emotional states of regret and contrition, eventually settling into its modern sense of expressing apology.

Breakdown

sarig (painful, wounded) > sorry. The suffix -y transforms the adjective sarig into its modern form, maintaining the sense of being affected or troubled, which evolved metaphorically from physical pain to emotional remorse.

🎵Rhyme

worry
hurry
curry

🔗Collocations

feel sorry
sorry state
sorry excuse
say sorry
sorry sight
sorry to hear

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“Sorry, I ate your pizza thinking it was mine!”

“I'm sorry to inform you that your flight is delayed.”

😄 Fun example

“Sorry, but I can't lend you money again - my wallet is crying!”

“She felt sorry for the stray cat and took it home.”

📚Related Words

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