means The state of enduring pain, distress, or hardship, whether physical or emotional.

from From the Old French 'sofrir' and ultimately the Latin 'sufferre' — built from 'sub-' (under) and 'ferre' (to carry, to bear). So baked into the word itself is the image of someone bowed beneath a load, carrying what hurts from underneath. The same 'ferre' fathered a whole family of bearers and carriers — 'transfer,' 'refer,' 'offer' — but suffering is the one that carries the heavy thing.