Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
PITY
I. noun (plural pities)
Etymology: Middle English pite, from Anglo-French pité, from Latin pietat-, pietas piety, pity, from pius pious
Date: 13th century
1. sympathetic sorrow for one suffering, distressed, or unhappy, capacity to feel pity, something to be regretted , Synonyms: see: pity
II. verb (pitied; pitying)
Date: 15th century
transitive verb to feel pity for, intransitive verb to feel pity