Standard Lemma guide

pitiable

adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈpɪti.əbəl/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: P IH1 T IY0 AH0 B AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

That deserves, evokes or can be given pity; pitiful.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: piteous, pitisome, ruthful, compassionate, pathetic, pathetisad, pitiable, pitiful, poor, rueful, snivelly, sorry-ass

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

inspiring mixed contempt and pity

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • their efforts were pathetic
  • pitiable lack of character
  • pitiful exhibition of cowardice

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pathetic, pitiful

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

deserving or inciting pity- Galsworthy

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a hapless victim
  • miserable victims of war
  • the shabby room struck her as extraordinarily pathetic
  • piteous appeals for help
  • pitiable homeless children
  • a pitiful fate
  • Oh, you poor thing
  • his poor distorted limbs
  • a wretched life

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hapless, miserable, misfortunate, pathetic, piteous, pitiful, poor, wretched

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle French [Term?], from Old French piteable. By surface analysis, pity + -able.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: жалък (žalǎk) — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • Bulgarian: клет (klet) — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • Chinese Mandarin: 悲悽 /悲凄 (bēiqī) — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • Czech: ubohý — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • Czech: žalostný — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • French: pitoyable — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • German: bedauerlich — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • German: bedauernswert — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • German: erbärmlich — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • German: kläglich — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • German: erbarmenswert — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • Ancient Greek: ἐλεεινός (eleeinós) — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • Ancient Greek: οἰκτρός (oiktrós) — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • Hindi: दयनीय (daynīya) — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • Irish: truacánta — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • Manx: treih — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • Spanish: lastimero — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • Spanish: lastimoso — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity
  • Turkish: acınası — that deserves, evokes or can be given pity