bathos
[ bey-thos, -thaws, -thohs ]
/ ˈbeɪ θɒs, -θɔs, -θoʊs /
noun
a ludicrous descent from the exalted or lofty to the commonplace; anticlimax.
insincere pathos; sentimentality; mawkishness.
triteness or triviality in style.
Nearby words
batholith, bathometer, bathonian, bathophilous, bathophobia, bathos, bathrobe, bathroom, baths, bathsheba, bathtub
Origin of bathos
1630–40; < Greek: depth
SYNONYMS FOR bathos
Can be confusedbathos pathos
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for bathos
British Dictionary definitions for bathos
bathos
/ (ˈbeɪθɒs) /
noun
a sudden ludicrous descent from exalted to ordinary matters or style in speech or writing
insincere or excessive pathos
triteness; flatness
the lowest point; nadir
Word Origin for bathos
C18: from Greek: depth, from bathus deep
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for bathos
bathos
"anticlimax, a descent from the sublime to the ridiculous," 1727, from Greek bathos "depth," related to bathys "deep" (see benthos). Introduced by Pope.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper