piteous
Americanadjective
-
exciting or deserving pity
-
archaic having or expressing pity
Synonym Usage
See pitiful.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of piteous
1250–1300; Middle English; replacing pitous < Old French < Medieval Latin pietōsus. See pity, -ous
Explanation
If something's piteous, it makes you feel pity and concern. The piteous cries of the orphaned kittens under your porch might convince you to climb under there and gather them up so you could feed them. Use the adjective piteous when you want to describe something that deserves your feelings of compassion and sympathy. A baby's cry, a miserable facial expression, and a pleading voice can all be piteous if they make you feel bad and want to help. The root word of piteous is the Latin pietas, meaning dutiful conduct or compassion. In Medieval Latin, it became pietosus and meant both merciful and pitiful.
Vocabulary lists containing piteous
Commonly Confused Words, List 2
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An Excerpt from "The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead
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The Jungle Book
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They have the acute feeling for country sights & sounds at which Anglo-Saxon poets are supposed to excel: for them the air often seems freesia-sweet, Piteous, to eye and ear, as a lamb's bleat.
From Time Magazine Archive
Piteous weeping wears away her cheeks: but no more piteous than Odysseus’ tears, cloaked as they were, now, from the company.
From "The Odyssey" by Homer
Piteous though her fate be, we almost forget to pity her, for compassion is well-nigh lost in reverence and wonder.
From Heroines That Every Child Should Know Tales for Young People of the World's Heroines of All Ages by Various
Whatso thou mayst see, Piteous as it may seem to thee, Heed not nor hearken! bear me forth, As though nought else were aught of worth.
From Poems By The Way & Love Is Enough by Morris, William
This will I, Hafbur, for thee, Piteous prayer for thee shall make My mother's sisters three.
From Poems By The Way & Love Is Enough by Morris, William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
