Definition
Arousing pity or compassion; so inadequate or unsuccessful as to be worthy of scorn or contempt.
Etymology
From Late Latin patheticus, from Greek pathetikos meaning 'capable of feeling, emotional', from pathos meaning 'suffering, experience, emotion'. Originally meant 'evoking emotion or sympathy' but gradually shifted to mean 'pitifully inadequate' by the 18th century, showing how emotional responses can become judgmental over time.
Kelly Says
The word 'pathetic' has undergone one of the most dramatic semantic shifts in English, moving from a neutral or even positive term meaning 'emotionally moving' to today's harsh insult. This transformation reflects changing cultural attitudes toward emotional expression and vulnerability in society.
Translations
CACatalà
patètic
pah-teh-tik
CSČeština
smutný
smoot-nee
DADansk
patetisk
pah-teh-tisk
DEDeutsch
jämmerlich
yah-meh-rlich
ELΕλληνικά
παθητικός
pathitikos
ESEspañol
patético
pah-teh-tee-koh
FISuomi
järkyttävä
yehr-ky-tah-vah
FRFrançais
pathétique
pah-teh-tee-k
HAHA
muna taka
moo-nah tah-kah
HEעברית
מעורר רחמים
me'orer rachamim
HUMagyar
szánalmas
sah-nahl-mash
IDBahasa Indonesia
memilukan
meh-mee-loo-kahn
IGIG
na-egbu mmadụ
nah-eh-gboo mmah-doo
ITItaliano
patetico
pah-teh-tee-koh
MSBahasa Melayu
memilukan
meh-mee-loo-kahn
MYမြန်မာ
စိတ်ပျက်စောက်
seit pyet hsaung
NLNederlands
pathetisch
pah-teh-tish
NONorsk
patetisk
pah-teh-tisk
PLPolski
śmieszny
shmyesh-ny
PTPortuguês
patético
pah-teh-chee-koo
RORomână
patetic
pah-teh-tik
SVSvenska
patetisk
pah-teh-tisk
SWKiswahili
ya kusikitisha
yah koo-see-kee-tisha
TAதமிழ்
வருத்தமான
varuttamaana
TEతెలుగు
దయనీయమైన
dayanīyamaina
THไทย
น่าเวทนา
naa weh-tha-na
TLTL
kahabag-habag
kah-hahb-ag hah-bag
TRTürkçe
acınacak
ah-chih-nah-jak
UKУкраїнська
жалюгідний
zhalyuhidnyy
VITiếng Việt
thảm hại
thahm hah-ee
YOYO
àwọn ọlọ́lá
ah-won oh-loh-lah
ZUZU
kungcola
koon-goh-lah