English dictionary · adj

pathetic

Arousing pity, sympathy, or compassion; exciting pathos.

Meaning and definitions

1. Arousing pity, sympathy, or compassion; exciting pathos.
2. Arousing scorn or contempt, often due to miserable inadequacy.
3. Expressing or showing anger; passionate.

Connected roots

• path-

  feeling, suffering, disease

Explore the word family

These words share a recorded root connection. A shared root is a learning clue; it does not establish every step in a word’s history.

• sympathy

  feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else's misfortune

• empathy

  the ability to understand and share the feelings of another

• pathology

  the science of the causes and effects of diseases

• psychopath

  a person with a chronic mental disorder marked by antisocial behavior

• apathy

  lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern

• pathogen

  An agent that can cause disease, especially an infectious microorganism, such as a bacterium, virus, protozoon or fungus.

• telepathy

  The capability to communicate directly by psychic means; the sympathetic affection of one mind by the thoughts, feelings, or emotions of another at a distance, without communication through the ordinary channels of sensation.

• pathogenesis

  The origin and development of a disease.

• antipathy

  a deep-seated feeling of dislike

• encephalopathy

  Any of various conditions affecting the brain.

• psychopathy

  A personality disorder characterized by impaired empathy and remorse, and bold, disinhibited, and egocentric traits masked by superficial charm and the outward presence of apparent normality. Violent and criminal offenses may be indicative of this disorder.

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