ruth

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B2 — Upper-Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun United States professional baseball player famous for hitting home runs (1895-1948)
  2. noun the great-grandmother of king David whose story is told in the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament
  3. noun a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others

Etymology

From Middle English reuþe, ruthe, reuthe, rewthe, reowthe, corresponding to rue + -th (abstract nominal suffix), perhaps after early Scandinavian (compare Old Norse hrygð, hryggð (“ruth, sorrow”)).

In classic literature

Synonyms

Babe Ruth, George Herman Ruth, Sultan of Swat

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