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pathos definition

pa·thos (pā′t̸häs′, -t̸hôs′)

noun

  1. Rare suffering
  2. the quality in something experienced or observed which arouses feelings of pity, sorrow, sympathy, or compassion
  3. the feeling aroused

Etymology: Gr pathos, suffering, disease, feeling, akin to pathein, paschein, to suffer, feel < IE base *kwenth-, to suffer, endure > OIr cessaim, I suffer

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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