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piety

PAHY-uh-tee /ˈpaɪ.ə.ti/

nounC1GRESATTOEFL

formalliteraryreligious

The quality of being religious, reverent, or dutiful to obligations (especially to family or God).

Piety is not just about belief; it is about the outward practice of devotion and duty. In classical contexts, it also referred to duty toward parents and country.

The story behind the word. In ancient Rome, 'pietas' was one of the highest virtues. It did not just mean religious devotion; it was a complex concept of duty, affection, and loyalty to the gods, to one's country, and crucially, to one's parents and ancestors. The Roman hero Aeneas was famously called 'pious' because of his loyalty to his father and his gods.

Word relationships

devoutness: Devoutness focuses on deep, sincere religious feeling, while piety emphasizes the dutiful actions and behaviors that express that feeling.
reverence: Reverence is a feeling of deep respect, whereas piety is the systematic practice of that respect.

impiety: Impiety is a lack of reverence or respect for sacred things or duties.
irreverence: Irreverence is a playful or disrespectful lack of seriousness, which is milder than impiety.

Commonly confused with

pity: Pity is a feeling of sorrow and compassion for others, whereas piety is religious devotion or dutifulness.

Word family

pious (adjective): Devoutly religious; making a hypocritical display of virtue.
piously (adverb): In a pious manner.

Collocations

filial piety
acts of piety
religious piety
show piety

Example sentences

"Her quiet piety was evident in her daily prayers and selfless service to the poor." A biography of a saintly figure.
"In many traditional cultures, filial piety requires children to care for their aging parents." A discussion of traditional family values.

Memory hook

Think of bringing a homemade 'pie' to your parents as an act of dutiful love and devotion. That is filial 'piety'. Dutiful devotion to family and faith.

When not to use

Do not use to describe simple kindness or general goodness; piety specifically requires a element of reverence, devotion, or duty.

Fun facts

The concept of 'filial piety' is a cornerstone of Confucian philosophy in East Asia, where it is considered the most fundamental of all virtues.