piety
gb/pˈaɪəti/ us/pˈaɪəti/
C1
English
~ 25300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
C1
entity
1
strong religious devotion and reverence
Strong love and respect for God or a religion, shown in prayer, worship, and good behavior.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s piety toward [a god / a religion]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'piety' with 'pity'. 'Piety' is about religious devotion; 'pity' is about feeling sorry for someone. Another mistake is using it as a verb (*to piety*); the verb is 'to be pious' or 'to show piety'. Also, 'piety' in this sense is normally uncountable: say 'a life of piety', not *'many pieties'* (unless using sense 3).
Synonyms
devoutness (Focuses slightly more on personal religious feeling, but otherwise very close in meaning.)
|
religious devotion (More transparent and neutral; less formal and abstract than 'piety'.)
Antonyms
impiety (Direct opposite in religious contexts, meaning a lack of respect for God or sacred things.)
|
irreverence (Highlights disrespect or a joking attitude toward what others consider sacred.)
Collocations
religious piety
|genuine piety
|acts of piety
|display of piety
|show of piety
|deep piety
Themes
religion
|values
|ethics
|emotions
Examples
- Her piety was evident in the hours she spent in quiet prayer each day.
- The small village is known for its strong Catholic piety and crowded Sunday services.
- He wears a simple cross as a sign of his piety, not as a fashion statement.
- The ceremony was marked by solemn piety rather than celebration.
- Some critics questioned whether the politician’s public piety matched his private life.
Learner examples
- His piety brings him to church every morning.
- I admire her piety and the calm way she prays.
- The people showed their piety by giving food to the poor.
- The festival is a time of piety and quiet reflection.
- Because of his piety, many people come to him for advice.
Noun
formal
C2
entity
2
dutiful respect toward family or authority
Deep respect and duty toward parents, family, or important leaders that makes you want to care for and obey them.
Usage pattern:
piety toward [parents / family / tradition]
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'piety' is only about religion. In this sense, it can also mean strong respect for parents, elders, or traditions, especially in phrases like 'filial piety'. It is still formal and mainly used in writing or careful speech, not casual conversation.
Synonyms
dutifulness (Stresses doing what duty requires, without the religious or emotional color that 'piety' often has.)
|
devotion (Broader and less formal; can describe warm, loving commitment rather than respect based on duty.)
Antonyms
disrespect (General lack of respect; contrasts with the respectful attitude central to this kind of piety.)
|
ingratitude (Lack of thankfulness toward parents or benefactors, which clashes with the loyal, thankful attitude of piety.)
Collocations
filial piety
|family piety
|civic piety
|cultural piety
|piety toward tradition
Themes
family
|values
|society
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- In many East Asian cultures, filial piety requires adult children to care for their aging parents.
- He visited his grandfather every week out of a sense of piety and gratitude.
- The festival is an expression of civic piety, honoring the city’s founders.
- Her quiet piety toward family tradition led her to preserve old customs in her own home.
- The story praises the son’s piety more than his success or wealth.
Learner examples
- Filial piety is very important in his culture.
- She shows piety to her parents by helping them every day.
- Out of piety, he did not argue with his father in public.
- Their piety toward family tradition is clear at every holiday.
- He feels piety toward the teacher who helped him as a child.
Noun
formal
C2
entity
3
conventional, often empty moral talk
Words about religion or good behavior that sound correct but are repeated without real feeling or new ideas.
Usage pattern:
pieties about [topic]
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that in this sense 'piety' is very often used in the plural as 'pieties'. Using the singular sounds odd here, except when talking about the general idea. Also, this usage is mostly found in opinion writing, reviews, and political or cultural commentary.
Synonyms
platitudes (General word for overused, boring statements; not limited to moral or religious topics like 'pieties' often is.)
|
pious phrases (Very close in meaning; slightly more transparent and less abstract than 'pieties'.)
Antonyms
candor (Suggests honest, direct speech, the opposite of repeating safe, conventional pieties.)
|
plain speaking (Emphasizes direct, sincere language instead of polished, automatic moral talk.)
Collocations
empty pieties
|liberal pieties
|mouth pieties
|repeat pieties
|pieties about family values
Themes
values
|politics
|religion
|communication
Examples
- The article cuts through the usual political pieties and asks who really benefits from the new law.
- He filled his speech with empty pieties about unity and sacrifice but offered no real solutions.
- She is tired of hearing corporate pieties about ‘work–life balance’ while staff are constantly overworked.
- Instead of repeating familiar pieties, the pastor admitted his own doubts.
- The book challenges the comforting pieties that surround the nation’s founding myths.
Learner examples
- The manager spoke in pieties about ‘team spirit’ that nobody believed.
- People are bored by empty pieties about hard work and success.
- He does not want pieties; he wants honest answers.
- The writer attacks old pieties about what a family should be.
- Her speech avoided pieties and felt very real.
Grammar
Dictionary form
piety
IPA
GB/pˈaɪəti/
US/pˈaɪəti/
Syllables & stress
piety (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (piety)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: piety
- Plural: pieties, piety
Word family
Forms
pieties
noun
Core family
pious
adjective B2
Related words
piously
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
impious
adjective
impiety
noun
Expressions
an act of piety
1/ən ˈækt əv pˈaɪəti/
fixed phrase
formal
a single religious or respectful act
A single action that shows religious devotion or deep respect, for example praying, giving money, or visiting a grave.
Examples
- Lighting a candle in the church was, for her, an act of piety and remembrance.
- He donated part of his inheritance to charity as an act of piety toward his late father.
- Planting a tree on the anniversary of the disaster became an annual act of piety for the community.
filial piety
1/fˈɪliəl pˈaɪəti/
fixed phrase
formal
a child's duty and respect to parents
Strong respect and duty that a child, especially an adult child, feels and shows toward their parents.
Examples
- In Confucian thought, filial piety is one of the highest virtues.
- He moved back to his hometown out of filial piety, so he could care for his elderly mother.
- Stories in many cultures praise children who show great filial piety.
filial piety
1/fˈɪliəl pˈaɪəti/
fixed phrase
formal
duty to respect and care
the belief that children must respect and care for their parents.
Examples
- The book explains how filial piety shaped family life for centuries.
- In some societies, filial piety is seen as a core virtue.
- They debated whether filial piety should outweigh personal independence.
out of piety
1/ˈaʊt əv pˈaɪəti/
fixed phrase
formal
motivated by devotion or duty
Because of religious devotion or strong respect and duty, not because of other reasons like money or pressure.
Examples
- She visits the grave every year out of piety, not out of habit.
- He continued the family ritual mainly out of piety toward his grandparents.
- They restored the old shrine out of piety, even though it brought them no profit.