CONTRITION

attrition, contrition, contriteness

(noun) sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

contrition (countable and uncountable, plural contritions)

The state of being contrite; sincere penitence or remorse.

The act of grinding or rubbing to powder; attrition; friction; rubbing.

Synonyms

• See also remorse

Source: Wiktionary

Con*tri"tion, n. Etym: [F. contrition, L. contritio.]

1. The act of grinding or ribbing to powder; attrition; friction; rubbing. [Obs.] The breaking of their parts into less parts by contrition. Sir I. Newton.

2. The state of being contrite; deep sorrow and repentance for sin, because sin is displeasing to God; humble penitence; through repentance. My future days shall be one whole contrition. Dryden.

Syn.

– repentance; penitence; humiliation; compunction; self-reproach; remorse.

– Contrition, Attrition, repentance.

– Contrition is deep sorrow and self-condemnation, with through repetance for sin because it is displeasing to God, and implies a feeling of love toward God. Attrition is sorrow for sin, or imperfect repentance produced by fear of punishment or a sense of the baseness of sin. Repentance is a penitent renunciation of, and turning from, sin; thorough repentance produces a new life. Repentance is often used as synonymous with contrition. See Compunction.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition