Advertisement - Continue reading below

Definition of "piteous" [pit•e•ous]

  • Demanding or arousing pity: a piteous appeal for help. See Synonyms at pathetic. (adjective)
  • Archaic Pitying; compassionate. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "piteous" in a sentence
  • "“O my lady, I am a banisht wight and with passion for a beloved one in piteous plight, nor with other will I consent to love-delight.”"
  • "It does not become the young man of the period to imitate too closely his ancestral Father Adam, and cry out in piteous tones: --"
  • "He fell, calling in piteous tones to a padre who was in the coach, entreating him to stop and confess him, and groaning out a farewell to his friend the driver."