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Generous vs Compassionate - What's the difference?

generous | compassionate |

In obsolete terms the difference between generous and compassionate

is that generous is of noble birth while compassionate is inviting pity; pitiable.

As a verb compassionate is

to feel compassion for; to pity, feel sorry for.

generous

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Of noble birth.
  • Noble in behaviour or actions; principled, not petty; kind, magnanimous.
    • Thank you for your generous words.
  • Willing to give and share unsparingly; showing a readiness to give more (especially money) than is expected or needed.
    • She's been extremely generous with her winnings.
  • Large, more than ample, copious.

    • Synonyms

    * See also

    Related terms

    * generosity

    compassionate

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Having, feeling or showing compassion; sympathetic.
  • * South
    • There never was any heart truly great and generous, that was not also tender and compassionate .
  • Of a leave, given to someone because of a domestic emergency.
    • compassionate leave
  • (obsolete) Inviting pity; pitiable.
    • (Shakespeare)

    Synonyms

    * ruthful

    Verb

    (compassionat)
  • (archaic) To feel compassion for; to pity, feel sorry for.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1903, author=William Godwin, title=Caleb Williams, chapter=, edition= citation
    • , passage=And yet I could not help bitterly compassionating the honest fellow, brought to the gallows, as he was, strictly speaking, by the machinations of that devil incarnate, Mr. Tyrrel. }}
  • * {{quote-book, year=1895, author=J. Sheridan Le Fanu, title=The Evil Guest, chapter=, edition= citation
    • , passage=The good Mrs. Mervyn accompanied these words with looks so sly, and emphasis so significant, that Rhoda was fain to look down, to hide her blushes; and compassionating the confusion she herself had caused, the kind old lady led her to the chamber which was henceforward, so long as she consented to remain, to be her own apartment. }}
  • * 1749 , Henry Fielding, Tom Jones , Folio Society 1973, p. 50:
    • The justice which Mr Allworthy had executed on Partridge at first met with universal approbation; but no sooner had he felt its consequences, than his neighbours began to relent, and to compassionate his case [...].