adj. 1. Feeling regret and sorrow for one's sins or offenses; penitent. 2. Arising from or expressing contrition: contrite words. [Middle English contrit, from Latin contrītus, past participle of conterere, to crush : com-, com- + terere, to grind; see terə-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] con·tritely adv. con·triteness n. |
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