| 释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024pa•thet•ic /pəˈθɛtɪk/USA pronunciation adj. - causing or evoking pity, either through concern, compassion, or contempt;
pitiful;
pitiable:The sick, homeless man was a pathetic sight. - sad;
sorrowful;
mournful:a pathetic tone of voice.
pa•thet•i•cal•ly, adv. See -path-. WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024pa•thet•ic (pə thet′ik)USA pronunciation adj. - causing or evoking pity, sympathetic sadness, sorrow, etc.;
pitiful;
pitiable: a pathetic letter;
a pathetic sight. - affecting or moving the feelings.
- pertaining to or caused by the feelings.
- miserably or contemptibly inadequate: In return for our investment we get a pathetic three percent interest.
Also, pa•thet′i•cal. - Greek pathētikós sensitive equivalent. to pathēt(ós) made or liable to suffer (verbid of páschein to suffer + -ikos -ic
- Late Latin pathēticus
- 1590–1600
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged . plaintive.
- 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged . touching, tender.
- 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged . emotional.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: pathetic /pəˈθɛtɪk/ adj - evoking or expressing pity, sympathy, etc
- distressingly inadequate: the old man sat huddled in front of a pathetic fire
- Brit informal ludicrously or contemptibly uninteresting or worthless: the standard of goalkeeping in amateur football today is pathetic
- obsolete of or affecting the feelings
Etymology: 16th Century: from French pathétique, via Late Latin from Greek pathetikos sensitive, from pathos suffering; see pathospaˈthetically adv |