[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

contrition \contri"tion\, n. f. contrition, l. contritio.
   1. the act of grinding or ribbing to powder; attrition;
      friction; rubbing. obs.
      1913 webster

            the breaking of their parts into less parts by
            contrition.                           --sir i.
                                                  newton.
      1913 webster

   2. the state of being contrite; deep sorrow and repentance
      for sin, because sin is displeasing to god; humble
      penitence; through repentance.
      1913 webster

            my future days shall be one whole contrition.
                                                  --dryden.

   syn: repentance; penitence; humiliation; compunction;
        self-reproach; remorse.

   usage: contrition, attrition, repentance. -- contrition
          is deep sorrow and self-condemnation, with through
          repetance for sin because it is displeasing to god,
          and implies a feeling of love toward god. attrition is
          sorrow for sin, or imperfect repentance produced by
          fear of punishment or a sense of the baseness of sin.
          repentance is a penitent renunciation of, and turning
          from, sin; thorough repentance produces a new life.
          repentance is often used as synonymous with
          contrition. see compunction.
          1913 webster
see also:
contrition attrition repentance compunction 

[2] : WordNet (r) 2.0

contrition
     n : sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation syn: attrition,
          contriteness
see also:
attrition contriteness 

[3] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

35 moby thesaurus words for "contrition":
   abject apology, acknowledgment, apologies, apology, attrition,
   ayenbite of inwit, bitterness, breast-beating, compunction,
   confession, contriteness, excuse, grief, mea culpa, penance,
   penitence, penitently, regret, regretfulness, regrets, regretting,
   remorse, remorse of conscience, remorsefulness, repentance,
   repining, rue, ruth, shame, shamefacedness, shamefastness,
   shamefulness, sorriness, sorrow, wistfulness

Contrition >> C Words
Contrition, definition of term: Contrition
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