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pa·thos

(pāthŏs′, -thôs′)

1. A quality, as of an experience or a work of art, that arouses feelings of pity, sympathy, tenderness, or sorrow.

2. The feeling, as of sympathy or pity, so aroused.

[Greek, suffering; see k^went(h)- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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