pitiable

[ pit-ee-uh-buh l ]

/ ˈpɪt i ə bəl /

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adjective

evoking or deserving pity; lamentable: pitiable, homeless children.

evoking or deserving contemptuous pity; miserable; contemptible: a pitiable lack of character.

Nearby words

Origin of pitiable

1425–75; late Middle English < Old French piteable, equivalent to pite(er) to pity + -able -able

SYNONYMS FOR pitiable

1, 2 See pitiful.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pitiable ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formspit·i·a·ble·ness, nounpit·i·a·bly, adverbun·pit·i·a·ble, adjectiveun·pit·i·a·bly, adverb

Can be confusedpiteous pitiable pitiful (see synonym study at pitiful)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for pitiable

The pitiable last photo of the naked megastar projected into the courtroom as Rogers testified is unforgettable.
The Fight Over Jackson's Health|Diane Dimond|October 12, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Amy is, at most, a pitiable woman trapped in a marriage that she has no idea how to fix.
The Power of 'Straw Dogs'|Malcolm Jones|September 19, 2011|DAILY BEAST
All around us, pundits spend their time bemoaning the pitiable state of men.
Are Men So Badly Off?|Leslie Bennetts|September 16, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Eerie orange cones captured in an aerial photograph will show each precise spot where a part of this pitiable child came to rest.
The Case Against Casey|Diane Dimond|May 22, 2011|DAILY BEAST

He was only the pitiable victim of his birth and of a cruel fate.
A Thorny Path [Per Aspera], Complete|Georg Ebers
"Take me to my—" His words were cut short by another fit of coughing, and he stood trembling there, a pitiable figure of distress.
The Long Patrol|H. A. Cody
Aerated bread is probably the most healthful, but this is pitiable to live on; it tastes like salted flannel.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 17, No. 102, April, 1866|Various
The captaincy he had tried so hard to gain had ended in pitiable failure.
The Loom of Youth|Alec Waugh
The astute young woman had detected the pitiable subterfuge.
Tales of the Argonauts|Bret Harte

British Dictionary definitions for pitiable

pitiable

/ (ˈpɪtɪəbəl) /

adjective

exciting or deserving pity or contempt

Derived Formspitiableness, nounpitiably, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for pitiable

pitiable

adj.

mid-15c., "merciful, compassionate," from Old French piteable "compassionate, merciful, pious" (13c.; Modern French pitoyable), from piteer "to pity" (see pity). Meaning "deserving pity" is recorded from late 15c. Related: Pitiably.

pitiable

adjective

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Nearby words

Origin of pitiable

Examples from the Web for pitiable

British Dictionary definitions for pitiable

pitiable

adjective

Word Origin and History for pitiable

pitiable