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/ˈpɪt.ɪ.fl̩/
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CMU ARPABET:
P IH1 T AH0 F AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
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So appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it; eliciting pity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Scotland has a pitiful climate.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: piteous, pitisome, ruthful
Antonyms: none provided
Eliciting contempt.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Of an amount or number: very small.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
A pitiful number of students bothered to turn up.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: few, meager, paltry, scant, scanty, thin
Antonyms: none provided
Feeling pity; merciful.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: commiserative, clement, lenient, merciable, mercied, merciful, pitiful, relentful, ruthful, safe, pitying
Antonyms: none provided
In a pitiful manner; pitifully; piteously; pathetically.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: colloquial, dialectal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adjective satellite
Meaning 6
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, pitiable
Antonyms: none provided
7
adjective satellite
Meaning 7
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, pitiable, poor, wretched
Antonyms: none provided
8
adjective satellite
Meaning 8
bad; unfortunate
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
my finances were in a deplorable state a lamentable decision her clothes were in sad shape a sorry state of affairs
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: deplorable, distressing, lamentable, sad, sorry
Antonyms: none provided
From Middle English pityful, piteful, piteeful. By surface analysis, pit(i) + -ful.
Across languages
Translations
58 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Belarusian :
жа́ласны
(žálasny)
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Bulgarian :
жалък
(žalǎk)
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Bulgarian :
клет
(klet)
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Catalan :
lamentable
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Chinese Cantonese :
慘 /惨
(caam2)
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Chinese Mandarin :
可憐 /可怜
(kělián)
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Sichuanese :
造孽
(zao4 nyie2)
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Dutch :
zielig
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Finnish :
säälittävä
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
French :
pitoyable
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
German :
erbärmlich
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
German :
kläglich
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
German :
jämmerlich
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
German :
mitleiderregend
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
German :
bemitleidenswert
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
German :
bedauernswert
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
German :
erbarmungswürdig
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
German :
Mitleid erregend
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Greek :
αξιολύπητος
(axiolýpitos)
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Ancient Greek :
οἰκτρός
(oiktrós)
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Hindi :
दयनीय
(daynīya)
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Ingrian :
poloin
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Japanese :
可憐な
(karen na)
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Latin :
miser
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Latin :
flēbilis
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Māori :
whakaaroha
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Māori :
hanga aroha
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Navajo :
baa hojoobáʼí
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Norman :
pitchiabl'ye
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Norwegian bokmål :
arm
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Norwegian nynorsk :
arm
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Polish :
żałosny
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Portuguese :
lamentável
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Russian :
жа́лкий
(žálkij)
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Russian :
бе́дненький
(bédnenʹkij)
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Russian :
жа́лостный
(žálostnyj)
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Russian :
жа́лостливый
(žálostlivyj)
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Spanish :
lastimoso
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Spanish :
lastimero
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Spanish :
penoso
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Spanish :
lamentoso
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Spanish :
achará
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Spanish :
mísero
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Ukrainian :
жа́лісний
(žálisnyj)
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Unami :
këtëmaksi
— so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it
Bulgarian :
нищожен
(ništožen)
— of an amount or number: very small
Catalan :
miserable
— of an amount or number: very small
Chinese Mandarin :
很少
(hěn shǎo)
— of an amount or number: very small
Finnish :
säälittävä
— of an amount or number: very small
French :
dérisoire
— of an amount or number: very small
German :
kümmerlich
— of an amount or number: very small
German :
armselig
— of an amount or number: very small
Russian :
жа́лкий
(žálkij)
— of an amount or number: very small
Russian :
ничто́жный
(ničtóžnyj)
— of an amount or number: very small
Russian :
ми́зерный
(mízernyj)
— of an amount or number: very small
Spanish :
mísero
— of an amount or number: very small
German :
mitleidig
— in a pitiful manner; pitifully; piteously; pathetically
German :
mitleidsvoll
— in a pitiful manner; pitifully; piteously; pathetically