ETYM Latin patheticus, Greek, from pathein to suffer: cf. French pathétique. Related to Pathos.
1. Inspiring mixed contempt and pity; SYN. pitiable, pitiful.
2. Inspiring scornful pity; SYN. ridiculous, silly.

Pluriel: pathetic fallacies

The fallacy of attributing human feelings to inanimate objects; 'the friendly sun' is an example of the pathetic fallacy.
In the arts, the presentation of natural events and objects as controlled by human emotions, so that in some way they express human sorrow or joy (“a brave little snowdrop”; “the heavens smiled on our enterprise”). The phrase was coined by the English critic John Ruskin in Modern Painters 1843–60 to describe the ascription of human feelings to the outside world.

1. Arousing scornful pity.
2. In a manner arousing sympathy and compassion; SYN. pitiably.