Etymology

pathetical

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Today it means: Arousing sympathy; pathetic. Full definition →

First used 16th c.Late Latin patheticus
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The story

  1. Late Latin · derived frompatheticus
  2. English todaypathetical

From Late Latin patheticus + -al.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 16th c. Arousing sympathy; pathetic.
  • from 16th c. Arising from strong emotion; passionate.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.