pi·e·ty  (p īĭ-t ē)
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n. pl. pi·e·ties 1. The state or quality of being pious, especially: a. Religious devotion and reverence. b. Devotion and reverence to parents and family: filial piety. 2. A devout act, thought, or statement. 3. a. A position held conventionally or hypocritically. b. A statement of such a position: "the liberated pieties of people who believe that social attitudes have kept pace with women's aspirations" (Erica Abeel).
[Middle English piete, mercy, pity, from Old French, from Latin pietās, dutiful conduct, from pius, dutiful.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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