Dictionary.com

pitiable

[ pit-ee-uh-buhl ]
/ ˈpɪt i ə bəl /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR pitiable ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

evoking or deserving pity; lamentable: pitiable, homeless children.
evoking or deserving contemptuous pity; miserable; contemptible: a pitiable lack of character.

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Origin of pitiable

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Old French piteable, equivalent to pite(er) “to pity” + -able adjective suffix; see pity, -able

synonym study for pitiable

1, 2. See pitiful.

OTHER WORDS FROM pitiable

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

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH pitiable

piteous, pitiable , pitiful (see synonym study at pitiful)

Words nearby pitiable

pith helmet, Pithom, pithos, pith ray, pithy, pitiable, pitier, pitiful, pitiless, Pitjantjatjara, pitman
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to pitiable

abject, affecting, afflicted, base, beggarly, cheerless, comfortless, commiserative, compassionate, contemptible, deplorable, despicable, dismal, distressed, distressing, grievous, heartbreaking, heartrending, inadequate, insignificant

Example sentences from the Web for pitiable

British Dictionary definitions for pitiable

pitiable
/ (ˈpɪtɪəbəl) /

adjective

exciting or deserving pity or contempt

Derived forms of pitiable

pitiableness, 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