Pitiable

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Pitiable \Pit"i*a*ble\, a. [Cf. OF. pitiable, F. pitoyable.]
     Deserving pity; wworthy of, or exciting, compassion;
     miserable; lamentable; piteous; as, pitiable persons; a
     pitiable condition; pitiable wretchedness.
     [1913 Webster]
  


     Syn: Sorrowful; woeful; sad. See {Piteous}.
          [1913 Webster] -- {Pit"i*a*ble*ness}, n. --
          {Pit"i*a*bly}, adv.
          [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  pitiable
       adj 1: inspiring mixed contempt and pity; "their efforts were
              pathetic"; "pitiable lack of character"; "pitiful
              exhibition of cowardice" [syn: {pathetic}, {pitiful}]
       2: deserving or inciting pity; "a hapless victim"; "miserable
          victims of war"; "the shabby room struck her as
          extraordinarily pathetic"- Galsworthy; "piteous appeals
          for help"; "pitiable homeless children"; "a pitiful fate";
          "Oh, you poor thing"; "his poor distorted limbs"; "a
          wretched life" [syn: {hapless}, {miserable}, {misfortunate},
           {pathetic}, {piteous}, {pitiful}, {poor}, {wretched}]