piteous

[ pit-ee-uhs ]

adjective

1. evoking or deserving pity; pathetic:

   piteous cries for help.

   Synonyms: sorrowful, wretched, sad, woeful, lamentable, moving, affecting

2. Archaic. compassionate.

piteous

/ ˈpɪtɪəs /

adjective

1. exciting or deserving pity
2. archaic.
   having or expressing pity

Derived Forms

• ˈpiteously, adverb
• ˈpiteousness, noun

Other Words From

• pite·ous·ly adverb
• pite·ous·ness noun
• over·pite·ous adjective
• over·pite·ous·ly adverb
• over·pite·ous·ness noun
• un·pite·ous adjective
• un·pite·ous·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of piteous¹

1250–1300; Middle English; replacing pitous < Old French < Medieval Latin pietōsus. See pity, -ous

Synonym Study

See pitiful.

Example Sentences

It was piteous to see how in these intervals his delusions were always shaped by the bitterest experiences of his life.

From Project Gutenberg

Human and animal cries blended in one piteous appeal for mercy.

From Project Gutenberg

And an answering cry sounded across the lagoon—thin, wailing, piteous.

From Project Gutenberg

The colored woman came running, and with her Grace, who looked at the wan features of the soldier with piteous eyes.

From Project Gutenberg

His childhood, except when he could be rocked and sung into sickly sleep, was one long piteous wail.

From Project Gutenberg