-pathic

1. a combining form occurring in adjectives that correspond to nouns ending in -pathy:

   psychopathic.

pathic

/ ˈpæθɪk /

noun

1. a catamite

2. a person who suffers; victim

adjective

1. of or relating to a catamite

2. of or relating to suffering

Word History and Origins

Origin of -pathic¹

From New Latin; -pathy, -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of -pathic¹

C17: via Latin from Greek pathikos passive; see _pathos

Example Sentences

Lungs affected by idio­pathic pulmonary fibrosis become scarred, losing function.

Read more on Nature

Pathic, path′ik, adj. pertaining to disease.—ns.

Read more on Project Gutenberg

He becomes Owen's secretary, engulfs himself in an almost pathic loyalty-love for his boss, and has become an English Justice by the time Glendower dies.

Read more on Time Magazine Archive

The characters: a set of spectacularly pathic Nazi officers, and some no less spectacular democratic aliens.

Read more on Time Magazine Archive

Most readable, least notable, is a horror study in which a piteous, pathic U. S. jazz-player meets a fetid little Cockney girl, blunders into desperate trouble through circumstantial evidence.

Read more on Time Magazine Archive

When To Use

What does -pathic mean?

The combining form -pathic is used like a suffix to denote an adjective related to nouns that end in -pathy, which can mean variously "disease," "suffering," or "treatment of disease.” The form -pathic is specifically used to mean "diseased." It is often used in medical terms, especially in pathology.The form -pathic ultimately comes from Greek pátheia, meaning “suffering” or “feeling.” The form is combined with the suffix -ic, from Latin -icus, which is used to denote an adjective.What are variants of -pathic?While -path doesn’t have any immediate variants, it is closely related to three other combining forms, -path, -pathia, and -pathy. Want to know more? Check out our Words That Use entries for all three forms.