Condolences

Pronunciation

• IPA: /kÉ™nˈdoÊŠlÉ™nsÉ™z/, /ˈkÉ’ndÉ™lÉ™nsÉ™z/

Origin

From Latin condoleo ("I feel another's pain")

Noun

plural

1. Plural of condolence
2. (plural only) comfort, support, or sympathy offered to the family and friends of somebody who has diedI sent her a card expressing my condolences after her mother passed away.

Full definition of condolences

Interjection

1. Expressing perfunctory or jocular condolence wishes.
• 1992, Martin Cruz Smith, Red Square, "What were you doing at the cemetery?"
  "Burying my father."
  "Oh." Rodionov grunted as if he had expected a more imaginative excuse. "Condolences."
• 2008, July 15, NPR, When Does It Go Too Far?, Let's get another caller on the line. This is Camille. Camille with us from Visalia in California.
  Visalia, California that's correct.
  Go ahead please.
  Hi. I'm an African-American woman and when I first saw the cover - let me preface this. I'm in central California, which is very conservative. And...
  Condolences.

Antonyms

• congratulations