pitoyable
pitiful, pathetic
adjective pee-twah-YAHBL Rare
Origin: from 'pitié' (pity), from Latin 'pietas'
Usage Note
Pitoyable has a strong negative register — it implies contempt as much as pity, closer to 'pathetic' than simply 'sad'. The adverb pitoyablement means 'pitifully'. It can describe both a person's performance (un résultat pitoyable) and a physical state (des conditions pitoyables — squalid conditions).
Examples
"Sa performance était vraiment pitoyable."
Natural Translation
His performance was truly pathetic.
Related Words
Explore French by topic