pathetic
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pathetic
- /pəˈθɛtɪk/
Rhymes with -ɛtɪk
Where it comes from
From Middle French pathétique, from Latin patheticus, from Ancient Greek παθητικός (pathētikós, “subject to feeling, capable of feeling, impassioned”), from παθητός (pathētós, “one who has suffered, subject to suffering”), from πάσχω (páskhō, “to suffer”). By surface analysis, path- + -etic.
adjective more pathetic · most pathetic · pathetick · patheticke · pathetique
-
Arousing pity, sympathy, or compassion; exciting pathos.
The child’s pathetic pleas for forgiveness stirred the young man’s heart.
Similar: pathetisad, pitiable, pitiful, wretched, compassionate, pathetic, piteous, pitisome, sad, poor, rueful, ruthful
-
Arousing scorn or contempt, often due to miserable inadequacy.
You can't even run two miles? That’s pathetic.
Similar: disgraceful, shameful, dishonorable, abject, filthy, base, beggarly, blameworthy, carrion, cheap, choical, contemptible
-
Expressing or showing anger; passionate.
On a certain Good Friday, in what year we are not told, an especially moving and pathetic sermon was preached in the Cathedral by Father John Texeda, upon the sufferings of our Lord.
Similar: mad, seething, agitated, angry, annoyed, apoplectic, bad-tempered, berserk, big mad, blood-boiling, boiling mad, butthurt
- Trochlear.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: pitiful, pitiable, piteous, wretched, miserable, contemptible, misfortunate, unfortunate, hapless, undignified, poor, ridiculous, silly, pity, woeful, appalling
Translations
Every language
adj arousing pity, sympathy, or compassion
| Español | patético, penoso |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | かわいそうな kawaisō-na, 哀れな aware-na, 痛ましい itamashii |
| 中文 | 可憐 /可怜 kělián |
| हिन्दी | दयनीय daynīya |
| Português | patético |
| Français | pathétique |
| Deutsch | rührend, mitleiderregend, bemitleidenswert |
| Italiano | patetico |
| Ελληνικά | συγκινητικός sygkinitikós, αξιολύπητος axiolýpitos, παθητικός pathitikós |
| Română | patetic, emoționant |
| Русский | жа́лостный žálostnyj, душераздира́ющий dušerazdirájuščij, патети́ческий patetíčeskij |
adj arousing scorn or contempt
| Español | patético, penoso |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 한심하다 hansimhada |
| 日本語 | 情けない nasakenai |
| 中文 | 可笑 kěxiào |
| Português | patético |
| Français | lamentable, minable |
| Deutsch | erbärmlich, jämmerlich, peinlich |
| Italiano | meschino, penoso |
| Ελληνικά | θλιβερός thliverós, οικτρός oiktrós, άθλιος áthlios, κακόμοιρος kakómoiros |
| Română | disperat |
| Русский | жа́лкий žálkij, убо́гий ubógij |
| עברית | פתטי patéti |
Talk about this word "pathetic." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/pathetic. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. pathetic. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/pathetic "pathetic." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/pathetic.Cite this
@misc{pathetic_2026,
title = {pathetic},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/pathetic},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
