"pitiful" meaning in English

See pitiful in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈpɪt.ɪ.fl̩/ Audio: en-us-pitiful.ogg Forms: pitifuller [comparative], pitifullest [superlative]
Etymology: From Middle English pityful, piteful, piteeful, equivalent to pity + -ful. Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|pityful}} Middle English pityful, {{af|en|pity|-ful|pos=adjective}} pity + -ful Head templates: {{en-adj|pitifuller}} pitiful (comparative pitifuller, superlative pitifullest)
  1. (now rare) Feeling pity; merciful. Tags: archaic
    Sense id: en-pitiful-en-adj-0Hm1NBvg
  2. So appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it; eliciting pity. Synonyms: lamentable Translations (so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it): οἰκτρός (oiktrós) (Ancient Greek), жа́ласны (žálasny) (Belarusian), жалък (žalǎk) (Bulgarian), клет (klet) (Bulgarian), lamentable (Catalan), (Chinese Cantonese), (caam²) (Chinese Cantonese), 可憐 (Chinese Mandarin), 可怜 (kělián) (Chinese Mandarin), zielig (Dutch), säälittävä (Finnish), pitoyable (French), erbärmlich (German), kläglich (German), jämmerlich (German), mitleiderregend (German), bemitleidenswert (German), bedauernswert (German), erbarmungswürdig (German), Mitleid erregend (German), αξιολύπητος (axiolýpitos) (Greek), poloin (Ingrian), 可憐な (karen na) (alt: かれんな) (Japanese), miser (Latin), flēbilis (Latin), whakaaroha (Maori), hanga aroha (Maori), baa hojoobáʼí (Navajo), pitchiabl'ye (Norman), żałosny (Polish), lamentável (Portuguese), жа́лкий (žálkij) (Russian), бе́дненький (bédnenʹkij) (Russian), жа́лостный (žálostnyj) (Russian), жа́лостливый (žálostlivyj) (Russian), 造孽 (zao4 nyie2) (Sichuanese), lastimoso (Spanish), lastimero (Spanish), penoso (Spanish), жа́лісний (žálisnyj) (Ukrainian)
    Sense id: en-pitiful-en-adj-TSujw3-n Categories (other): English adjectives suffixed with -ful, English adverbs suffixed with -ful, English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Ancient Greek translations, Terms with Belarusian translations, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with Cantonese translations, Terms with Catalan translations, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Esperanto translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Greek translations, Terms with Hebrew translations, Terms with Indonesian translations, Terms with Ingrian translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Japanese translations, Terms with Latin translations, Terms with Mandarin translations, Terms with Maori translations, Terms with Navajo translations, Terms with Norman translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Terms with Ukrainian translations Disambiguation of English adjectives suffixed with -ful: 23 44 15 18 Disambiguation of English adverbs suffixed with -ful: 13 50 8 29 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 6 58 3 33 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 6 61 3 29 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 6 58 3 32 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 5 61 3 32 Disambiguation of Terms with Ancient Greek translations: 18 49 13 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Belarusian translations: 15 56 7 22 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 14 54 7 26 Disambiguation of Terms with Cantonese translations: 11 57 8 24 Disambiguation of Terms with Catalan translations: 14 56 7 22 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 12 58 6 24 Disambiguation of Terms with Esperanto translations: 8 61 4 27 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 13 60 7 20 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 11 56 6 27 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 11 61 7 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Greek translations: 12 58 6 24 Disambiguation of Terms with Hebrew translations: 14 56 7 22 Disambiguation of Terms with Indonesian translations: 14 56 7 22 Disambiguation of Terms with Ingrian translations: 9 60 5 26 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 8 61 4 26 Disambiguation of Terms with Japanese translations: 8 61 4 26 Disambiguation of Terms with Latin translations: 7 62 4 27 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 11 61 7 22 Disambiguation of Terms with Maori translations: 14 56 7 22 Disambiguation of Terms with Navajo translations: 9 60 5 27 Disambiguation of Terms with Norman translations: 15 56 7 22 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 15 52 8 25 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 12 62 6 20 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 8 58 4 30 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 8 63 4 25 Disambiguation of Terms with Ukrainian translations: 14 56 7 22 Disambiguation of 'so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it': 4 95 1
  3. Of an amount or number: very small. Translations (of an amount or number: very small): нищожен (ništožen) (Bulgarian), miserable (Catalan), 很少 (hěn shǎo) (Chinese Mandarin), säälittävä (Finnish), dérisoire (French), kümmerlich (German), armselig (German), жа́лкий (žálkij) (Russian), ничто́жный (ničtóžnyj) (Russian), ми́зерный (mízernyj) (Russian)
    Sense id: en-pitiful-en-adj-s2ZaBOlv Disambiguation of 'of an amount or number: very small': 1 1 98
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: pitifull [archaic] Related terms: pitiable, pity

Adverb

IPA: /ˈpɪt.ɪ.fl̩/ Audio: en-us-pitiful.ogg Forms: more pitiful [comparative], most pitiful [superlative]
Etymology: From Middle English pityful, piteful, piteeful, equivalent to pity + -ful. Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|pityful}} Middle English pityful, {{af|en|pity|-ful|pos=adjective}} pity + -ful Head templates: {{en-adv}} pitiful (comparative more pitiful, superlative most pitiful)
  1. (colloquial, dialect) In a pitiful manner; pitifully; piteously; pathetically. Tags: colloquial, dialectal Translations (in a pitiful manner; pitifully; piteously; pathetically): mitleidig (German), mitleidsvoll (German)
    Sense id: en-pitiful-en-adv-RtFNHjRF
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: pitifull [archaic]

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "pityful"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English pityful",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "pity",
        "3": "-ful",
        "pos": "adjective"
      },
      "expansion": "pity + -ful",
      "name": "af"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English pityful, piteful, piteeful, equivalent to pity + -ful.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "pitifuller",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "pitifullest",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "pitifuller"
      },
      "expansion": "pitiful (comparative pitifuller, superlative pitifullest)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "pitiable"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "pity"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "c. 1588–1593 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Most Lamentable Romaine Tragedie of Titus Andronicus: […] (First Quarto), London: […] Iohn Danter, and are to be sold by Edward White & Thomas Millington, […], published 1594, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:",
          "text": "Some ſay that Rauens foſter forlorne children, / The whilſt their owne birds famiſh in their neſts: / Oh be to me though thy hard hart ſay no, / Nothing ſo kinde but ſomething pittiful.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1851 November 14, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:",
          "text": "Straightway, he now goes on to make a full confession; whereupon the mariners became more and more appalled, but still are pitiful.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Feeling pity; merciful."
      ],
      "id": "en-pitiful-en-adj-0Hm1NBvg",
      "links": [
        [
          "pity",
          "pity"
        ],
        [
          "merciful",
          "merciful"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(now rare) Feeling pity; merciful."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "archaic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "23 44 15 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English adjectives suffixed with -ful",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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            "Entry maintenance"
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        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Scotland has a pitiful climate.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "So appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it; eliciting pity."
      ],
      "id": "en-pitiful-en-adj-TSujw3-n",
      "links": [
        [
          "appalling",
          "appalling"
        ],
        [
          "sad",
          "sad"
        ],
        [
          "sorry",
          "sorry"
        ],
        [
          "elicit",
          "elicit"
        ],
        [
          "pity",
          "pity"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "lamentable"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "be",
          "lang": "Belarusian",
          "roman": "žálasny",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "жа́ласны"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "žalǎk",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "жалък"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "klet",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "клет"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "lamentable"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Sichuanese",
          "roman": "zao4 nyie2",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "造孽"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "yue",
          "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "慘"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "yue",
          "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
          "roman": "caam²",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "惨"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "可憐"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "kělián",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "可怜"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "zielig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "säälittävä"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "pitoyable"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "erbärmlich"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "kläglich"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "jämmerlich"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "mitleiderregend"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "bemitleidenswert"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "bedauernswert"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "erbarmungswürdig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "Mitleid erregend"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "axiolýpitos",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "αξιολύπητος"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "grc",
          "lang": "Ancient Greek",
          "roman": "oiktrós",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "οἰκτρός"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "izh",
          "lang": "Ingrian",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "poloin"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "alt": "かれんな",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "karen na",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "可憐な"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "miser"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "flēbilis"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "whakaaroha"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "hanga aroha"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "nv",
          "lang": "Navajo",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "baa hojoobáʼí"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "nrf",
          "lang": "Norman",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "pitchiabl'ye"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "żałosny"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "lamentável"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "žálkij",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "жа́лкий"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "bédnenʹkij",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "бе́дненький"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "žálostnyj",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "жа́лостный"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "žálostlivyj",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "жа́лостливый"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "lastimoso"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "lastimero"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "penoso"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 95 1",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "žálisnyj",
          "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
          "word": "жа́лісний"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "A pitiful number of students bothered to turn up.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Of an amount or number: very small."
      ],
      "id": "en-pitiful-en-adj-s2ZaBOlv",
      "links": [
        [
          "small",
          "small"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 98",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "ništožen",
          "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
          "word": "нищожен"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 98",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
          "word": "miserable"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 98",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "hěn shǎo",
          "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
          "word": "很少"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 98",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
          "word": "säälittävä"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 98",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
          "word": "dérisoire"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 98",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
          "word": "kümmerlich"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 98",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
          "word": "armselig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 98",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "žálkij",
          "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
          "word": "жа́лкий"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 98",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "ničtóžnyj",
          "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
          "word": "ничто́жный"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 98",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "mízernyj",
          "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
          "word": "ми́зерный"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpɪt.ɪ.fl̩/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-pitiful.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/e7/En-us-pitiful.ogg/En-us-pitiful.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/En-us-pitiful.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "tags": [
        "archaic"
      ],
      "word": "pitifull"
    }
  ],
  "word": "pitiful"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "pityful"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English pityful",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "pity",
        "3": "-ful",
        "pos": "adjective"
      },
      "expansion": "pity + -ful",
      "name": "af"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English pityful, piteful, piteeful, equivalent to pity + -ful.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more pitiful",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most pitiful",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "pitiful (comparative more pitiful, superlative most pitiful)",
      "name": "en-adv"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adv",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1906, Rudyard Kipling, Puck of Pook's Hill, London: Penguin Books, published 1994, page 194:",
          "text": "‘She followed ’em, cryin’ pitiful, to the old boat on the Wall[.]’",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "In a pitiful manner; pitifully; piteously; pathetically."
      ],
      "id": "en-pitiful-en-adv-RtFNHjRF",
      "links": [
        [
          "pitifully",
          "pitifully"
        ],
        [
          "piteously",
          "piteously"
        ],
        [
          "pathetically",
          "pathetically"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(colloquial, dialect) In a pitiful manner; pitifully; piteously; pathetically."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "colloquial",
        "dialectal"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "in a pitiful manner; pitifully; piteously; pathetically",
          "word": "mitleidig"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "in a pitiful manner; pitifully; piteously; pathetically",
          "word": "mitleidsvoll"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpɪt.ɪ.fl̩/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-pitiful.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/e7/En-us-pitiful.ogg/En-us-pitiful.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/En-us-pitiful.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "tags": [
        "archaic"
      ],
      "word": "pitifull"
    }
  ],
  "word": "pitiful"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English adjectives suffixed with -ful",
    "English adverbs",
    "English adverbs suffixed with -ful",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Requests for review of Dutch translations",
    "Requests for review of Esperanto translations",
    "Requests for review of Hebrew translations",
    "Requests for review of Indonesian translations",
    "Requests for review of Italian translations",
    "Requests for review of Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Ancient Greek translations",
    "Terms with Belarusian translations",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Cantonese translations",
    "Terms with Catalan translations",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Esperanto translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Greek translations",
    "Terms with Hebrew translations",
    "Terms with Indonesian translations",
    "Terms with Ingrian translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Japanese translations",
    "Terms with Latin translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Maori translations",
    "Terms with Navajo translations",
    "Terms with Norman translations",
    "Terms with Polish translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Ukrainian translations"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "pityful"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English pityful",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "pity",
        "3": "-ful",
        "pos": "adjective"
      },
      "expansion": "pity + -ful",
      "name": "af"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English pityful, piteful, piteeful, equivalent to pity + -ful.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "pitifuller",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "pitifullest",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "pitifuller"
      },
      "expansion": "pitiful (comparative pitifuller, superlative pitifullest)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "pitiable"
    },
    {
      "word": "pity"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with rare senses"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "c. 1588–1593 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Most Lamentable Romaine Tragedie of Titus Andronicus: […] (First Quarto), London: […] Iohn Danter, and are to be sold by Edward White & Thomas Millington, […], published 1594, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:",
          "text": "Some ſay that Rauens foſter forlorne children, / The whilſt their owne birds famiſh in their neſts: / Oh be to me though thy hard hart ſay no, / Nothing ſo kinde but ſomething pittiful.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1851 November 14, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:",
          "text": "Straightway, he now goes on to make a full confession; whereupon the mariners became more and more appalled, but still are pitiful.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Feeling pity; merciful."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "pity",
          "pity"
        ],
        [
          "merciful",
          "merciful"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(now rare) Feeling pity; merciful."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "archaic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Scotland has a pitiful climate.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "So appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it; eliciting pity."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "appalling",
          "appalling"
        ],
        [
          "sad",
          "sad"
        ],
        [
          "sorry",
          "sorry"
        ],
        [
          "elicit",
          "elicit"
        ],
        [
          "pity",
          "pity"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "lamentable"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "A pitiful number of students bothered to turn up.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Of an amount or number: very small."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "small",
          "small"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpɪt.ɪ.fl̩/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-pitiful.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/e7/En-us-pitiful.ogg/En-us-pitiful.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/En-us-pitiful.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "tags": [
        "archaic"
      ],
      "word": "pitifull"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "be",
      "lang": "Belarusian",
      "roman": "žálasny",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "жа́ласны"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "žalǎk",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "жалък"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "klet",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "клет"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "lamentable"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Sichuanese",
      "roman": "zao4 nyie2",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "造孽"
    },
    {
      "code": "yue",
      "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "慘"
    },
    {
      "code": "yue",
      "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
      "roman": "caam²",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "惨"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "可憐"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "kělián",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "可怜"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "zielig"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "säälittävä"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "pitoyable"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "erbärmlich"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "kläglich"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "jämmerlich"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "mitleiderregend"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "bemitleidenswert"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "bedauernswert"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "erbarmungswürdig"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "Mitleid erregend"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "axiolýpitos",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "αξιολύπητος"
    },
    {
      "code": "grc",
      "lang": "Ancient Greek",
      "roman": "oiktrós",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "οἰκτρός"
    },
    {
      "code": "izh",
      "lang": "Ingrian",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "poloin"
    },
    {
      "alt": "かれんな",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "karen na",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "可憐な"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "miser"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "flēbilis"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "whakaaroha"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "hanga aroha"
    },
    {
      "code": "nv",
      "lang": "Navajo",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "baa hojoobáʼí"
    },
    {
      "code": "nrf",
      "lang": "Norman",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "pitchiabl'ye"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "żałosny"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "lamentável"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "žálkij",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "жа́лкий"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "bédnenʹkij",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "бе́дненький"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "žálostnyj",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "жа́лостный"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "žálostlivyj",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "жа́лостливый"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "lastimoso"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "lastimero"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "penoso"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "žálisnyj",
      "sense": "so appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it",
      "word": "жа́лісний"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "ništožen",
      "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
      "word": "нищожен"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
      "word": "miserable"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "hěn shǎo",
      "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
      "word": "很少"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
      "word": "säälittävä"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
      "word": "dérisoire"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
      "word": "kümmerlich"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
      "word": "armselig"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "žálkij",
      "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
      "word": "жа́лкий"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "ničtóžnyj",
      "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
      "word": "ничто́жный"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "mízernyj",
      "sense": "of an amount or number: very small",
      "word": "ми́зерный"
    }
  ],
  "word": "pitiful"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English adjectives suffixed with -ful",
    "English adverbs",
    "English adverbs suffixed with -ful",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Requests for review of Dutch translations",
    "Requests for review of Esperanto translations",
    "Requests for review of Hebrew translations",
    "Requests for review of Indonesian translations",
    "Requests for review of Italian translations",
    "Requests for review of Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Ancient Greek translations",
    "Terms with Belarusian translations",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Cantonese translations",
    "Terms with Catalan translations",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Esperanto translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Greek translations",
    "Terms with Hebrew translations",
    "Terms with Indonesian translations",
    "Terms with Ingrian translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Japanese translations",
    "Terms with Latin translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Maori translations",
    "Terms with Navajo translations",
    "Terms with Norman translations",
    "Terms with Polish translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Ukrainian translations"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "pityful"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English pityful",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "pity",
        "3": "-ful",
        "pos": "adjective"
      },
      "expansion": "pity + -ful",
      "name": "af"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English pityful, piteful, piteeful, equivalent to pity + -ful.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more pitiful",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most pitiful",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "pitiful (comparative more pitiful, superlative most pitiful)",
      "name": "en-adv"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adv",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English colloquialisms",
        "English dialectal terms",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1906, Rudyard Kipling, Puck of Pook's Hill, London: Penguin Books, published 1994, page 194:",
          "text": "‘She followed ’em, cryin’ pitiful, to the old boat on the Wall[.]’",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "In a pitiful manner; pitifully; piteously; pathetically."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "pitifully",
          "pitifully"
        ],
        [
          "piteously",
          "piteously"
        ],
        [
          "pathetically",
          "pathetically"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(colloquial, dialect) In a pitiful manner; pitifully; piteously; pathetically."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "colloquial",
        "dialectal"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpɪt.ɪ.fl̩/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-pitiful.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/e7/En-us-pitiful.ogg/En-us-pitiful.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/En-us-pitiful.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "tags": [
        "archaic"
      ],
      "word": "pitifull"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "in a pitiful manner; pitifully; piteously; pathetically",
      "word": "mitleidig"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "in a pitiful manner; pitifully; piteously; pathetically",
      "word": "mitleidsvoll"
    }
  ],
  "word": "pitiful"
}

Download raw JSONL data for pitiful meaning in English (14.4kB)

{
  "called_from": "translations/324",
  "msg": "possible sense number in translation item: Dutch: __IGNORE__, __IGNORE__ (1), __IGNORE__ (1)",
  "path": [
    "pitiful"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "adjective",
  "title": "pitiful",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-21 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (d8cb2f3 and 4e554ae). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.