Pitiful

Part of speech: adjective (a.)

1. Full of pity; tender-hearted; compassionate; kind; merciful; sympathetic. The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. James v. 11.

2. Piteous; lamentable; eliciting compassion. A thing, indeed, very pitiful and horrible. Spenser.

3. To be pitied for littleness or meanness; miserable; paltry; contemptible; despicable. That's villainous, and shows a most pitiful ambition in the fool that uses it. Shak.

Synonyms: Despicable; mean; paltry. See Contemptible. Pit"i*ful*ly, adv. Pit"i*ful*ness, n.