Piety
noun /ˈpaɪ.ə.ti/ — Devout reverence and religious devotion
Definition
Devout religious observance and reverence — a dutiful dedication to God or religious practice. Also used more broadly for devoted respect toward family, tradition, or moral duty.
Beyond the definition
Reverence made into practice. Piety is not just the feeling of the sacred — it is the commitment to act on that feeling, to maintain it through time and discipline.
Origin & history
From Latin 'pietas' (piety, duty, affection) — from 'pius' (pious, dutiful). The root of 'pity', 'pious', and the name Pius. In Roman tradition, pietas included duty to gods, family, and state.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
His piety was unperformative — he didn't announce it, but the structure of his days made its nature clear.
Filial piety — the Confucian virtue of respect for parents and ancestors — shapes East Asian family structures in ways that persist into secular life.
There is a secular piety available to anyone who maintains a practice with the same dedication a religious person maintains prayer.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Piety” when the meaning fits your context: Devout religious observance and reverence — a dutiful dedication to God or religious practice. Also used more broadly for devoted respect toward family, tradition, or moral duty.
Synonyms
Antonyms
impiety, irreverence, profanity
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Reverent Entrance to Forest
An adult enters an ancient, revered forest, walking with focused respect and dedication toward the sacred path.
The individual's dutiful and respectful demeanor toward the forest shows the dedication that characterizes piety, whether applied to religious duty or sacred tradition.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Piety" mean?
Piety is noun meaning: Devout reverence and religious devotion. Devout religious observance and reverence — a dutiful dedication to God or religious practice. Also used more broadly for devoted respect toward family, tradition, or moral duty.
Where does the word "Piety" come from?
From Latin 'pietas' (piety, duty, affection) — from 'pius' (pious, dutiful). The root of 'pity', 'pious', and the name Pius. In Roman tradition, pietas included duty to gods, family, and state.