Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1200-1300
Language: Old French
Origin: contrit, from Latin, past participle of conterere 'to rub together, bruise', from com- ( COM-) + terere 'to rub'

contrite

 adjective
     
con‧trite formal
feeling guilty and sorry for something bad that you have done:
a contrite apology
—contritely adverb
—contrition noun [uncountable]
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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