You searched for: “pitiable
piteous, pitiable, pitiful
piteous (PIT ee uhs) (adjective)
Referring to something which elicits a strong sense of sympathy or compassion: The circumstances of poverty were piteous and Nikki was motivated to help in the local soup kitchen.
pitiable (PIT ee uh buhl) (adjective)
Wretched, paltry, lamentable: When the Industrial Revolution was just getting started, employees earned pitiable wages and often lived in piteous housing.
pitiful (PIT i fuhl) (adjective)
Concerning a person or animal that is in an unfortunate and sad situation; touching; pathetic; miserable: The man who was standing on the corner looked so pitiful because he had no umbrella and he was being soaked by the unexpected rain.

The famous British author, Charles Dickens, created pitiable characters in his books, for example the pitiful story of Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol. His situation and the poverty of his family was piteous.

pitiable (adjective), more pitiable, most pitiable
1. Inspiring helplessness or miserableness: Jane was in a pitiable condition by having both arms broken and in casts and having the flu at the same time!
2. Possible of causing both disrespect and sorrow: The pitiable and pathetic situation for the dwellers in the slums was hard to take for the visitors.
3. Subject to being poor or small: That little helping of ice cream was a pitiable amount in Tammy's bowl!
This entry is located in the following units: -able (page 29) piet-, pious- (page 2)
A unit related to: “pitiable
(Latin: wretched, miserable, pitiable)