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Word a Day

pathetic

adjective · /pəˈθɛtɪk/ · Level 2 · Intermediate

What does pathetic mean?

pathetic (adjective): inspiring mixed contempt and pity.

Definition: Princeton WordNet 3.1.

How do you use pathetic in a sentence?

How do you pronounce pathetic?

/pəˈθɛtɪk/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.

Where does pathetic come from?

From Middle French pathétique, from Latin patheticus.

Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What are synonyms of pathetic?

From Princeton WordNet 3.1.

Test yourself: do you know “pathetic”?

Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.

What does “pathetic” mean?

concerning all parts of the world

Not quite: that's what global means.

not divided or shared with others

Not quite: that's what exclusive means.

distant or otherwise inaccessible

Not quite: that's what remote means.

inspiring mixed contempt and pity

Right! That's what “pathetic” means.

Which word is closest in meaning to “pathetic”?

pitiful

Right!

general

Not quite: general means something else.

several

Not quite: several means something else.

outside

Not quite: outside means something else.

Learn a word like “pathetic” every day

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