ruthful

adjective

ruth·​ful ˈrüth-fəl How to pronounce ruthful (audio)
1
: full of ruth : tender
2
: full of sorrow : woeful
3
: causing sorrow
ruthfully adverb
ruthfulness noun

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ruthful was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near ruthful

Cite this Entry

“Ruthful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruthful. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on ruthful

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!