pidades

Pidades is a plural noun used in Portuguese and Galician to denote mercy, compassion, or piety, typically referring to multiple acts or expressions of these qualities. The term is formed from the singular pidade and shares its origins with related concepts across Romance languages.

Etymology and sense: Pidades derives from the Latin pietas, meaning dutiful reverence or kindness. In contemporary Portuguese, the everyday noun for this concept is piedade; pidades is more commonly encountered in historical, liturgical, or literary contexts where multiple mercies or manifestations of piety are being described.

Usage: In religious or solemn discourse, pidades may appear to describe divine mercies, saintly intercession, or charitable acts by believers. The plural form is relatively uncommon in modern speech and writing, and its appearance is often limited to older texts or formal registers that emphasize several instances of mercy or pious behavior. In Galician, pidade carries a similar meaning, with pidades appearing primarily in older or more formal writings.

See also: Piedade, piedad, pietas. These related terms reflect the same root across different languages and contexts, and are typically more common in everyday usage than pidades itself.