Characterized by bathos; producing an unintentional anticlimax or descent from the sublime to the ridiculous. Describes writing or speech that fails dramatically.
From Greek 'bathos' meaning 'depth,' but used ironically to describe a ludicrous descent in style. The term was coined by Alexander Pope to mock writers who unintentionally fell from high, noble expression to the absurdly mundane.
Think 'BATH-etic' - imagine a dramatic hero giving a noble speech while slipping in a bathtub! It's when something tries to be profound but becomes accidentally funny instead, like pathetic but in a bathtub of embarrassment.
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