piety

[pahy-i-tee]

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.

piety

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• superpiety noun
• unpiety noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of piety¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of piety¹

C13 piete, from Old French, from Latin pietās piety, dutifulness, from pius _pious

Example Sentences

Public service wasn’t about party pieties, Jim said, but rather “finding a solution to a problem.”

From Los Angeles Times

Take the title’s smirk at the idea of piety, and the way the script implicitly questions the legitimacy of that label.

From Salon

Some take comfort in hoary comic patterns, souped-up eccentricity and reassuring pieties.

From Los Angeles Times

“Because nothing says ‘compassion’ like kicking grandma off Medicaid while boasting of your piety, with human graves as props.

From Salon

Leo specifically emphasized “growth in collegiality,” “popular piety,” a “loving care for the least and the rejected,” and “courageous and trusting dialogue with the contemporary world,” according to The New York Times.

From Salon

Related Words

• fervor 
• loyalty 
• religiosity 
• reverence 
• zeal