Sympathy is a social affinity in which one person stans with another person, closely understanding his or her feelings. The word derives from the Greek συμπάθεια (sympatheia), from συν (syn) "together" + πάθος (pathos), in this case "suffering" (from πάσχω - pascho, "to be affected by, to suffer"). It also can mean being affected by like feelings or emotions. Thus the essence of sympathy is that one has a strong concern for the other person. Sympathy should not be confused with empathy (more than simply the recognition of another's suffering, sympathy is actually sharing another's suffering, if only briefly).