Piteous
Pronunciation : Pit"e*ous
Part of Speech : a.
Etymology : [OE. pitous, OF. pitos, F. piteux. See Pity.]
Definition : 1. Pious; devout. [Obs.] The Lord can deliver piteous men from temptation. Wyclif.
2. Evincing pity, compassion, or sympathy; compassionate; tender. "[She] piteous of his case." Pope. She was so charitable and so pitous. Chaucer.
3. Fitted to excite pity or sympathy; wretched; miserable; lamentable; sad; as, a piteous case. Spenser. The most piteous tale of Lear. Shak.
4. Paltry; mean; pitiful. "Piteous amends." Milton.
Syn. -- Sorrowful; mournful; affecting; doleful; woeful; rueful; sad; wretched; miserable; pitiable; pitiful; compassionate. -- Pit"e*ous*ly, adv. -- Pit"e*ous*ness, n.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913