sympathetic adj

1 of or relating to the sympathetic nervous system; "sympathetic neurons"; "sympathetic stimulation"

2 expressing or feeling or resulting from sympathy or compassion or friendly fellow feelings; disposed toward; "sympathetic to the students' cause"; "a sympathetic observer"; "a sympathetic gesture" [ant: unsympathetic]

3 having similar disposition and tastes; "a compatible married couple"; "with their many similar tastes, he found her a most sympathetic companion" [syn: compatible]

4 showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity; "was charitable in his opinions of others"; "kindly criticism"; "a kindly act"; "sympathetic words"; "a large-hearted mentor" [syn: charitable, kindly, large-hearted]

5 (of characters in literature or drama) evoking empathic or sympathetic feelings; "the sympathetic characters in the play" [syn: appealing, likeable, likable] [ant: unsympathetic]

6 relating to vibrations that occur as a result of vibrations in a nearby body; "sympathetic vibration" [syn: harmonic]

English

Pronunciation

• /ˌsɪmpəˈθɛtɪk/

  Rhymes: -ɛtɪk

Adjective

1. of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy

Translations

Derived terms

• parasympathetic nervous system
• sympathectomy
• sympathetic nervous system

The word sympathetic means different things in different contexts.

• In neurology and neuroscience, the sympathetic nervous system is a part of the autonomic nervous system.
• In music theory, sympathetic strings are strings on a musical instrument that resonate on their own.
• In psychology, sympathy is a feeling of compassion or identification with another.
• In religion, metaphysics, medicine, sympathy is the belief that like affects like, that something can be influenced through its relationship with another thing.

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