Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PA-THET'IC, or PA-THET'IC-AL, a. [Gr. παθητικος, from παθος, passion; πασχω, to suffer.]

Affecting or moving the passions, particularly pity, sorrow, grief or other tender emotion; as, a pathetic song or discourse; pathetic expostulation. – Spectator. No theory of the passions can teach a man to be pathetic. – E. Porter.