Etymograph

English

pathos

Pathos comes from Ancient Greek πάθος ‘suffering’, and goes back to πᾰ́σχω ‘to feel’.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπᾰ́σχωpắskhō‘to feel’
  2. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπάθοςpáthos‘suffering’zero-grade of root of πᾰ́σχω
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1874pathos

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπᾰ́σχωpắskhō‘to feel’
  2. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπάθοςpáthos‘suffering’zero-grade of root of πᾰ́σχω
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1874pathos

Earliest quotation: 1874, Thomas Hardy: “His voice had a genuine pathos now, and his…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *kʷendʰ- ‘to suffer, endure’

pathetic, sympathy, 13 more

Today it means

noun The quality or property of anything which touches the feelings or excites emotions and passions, especially that which awakens tender emotions, such as pity, sorrow, and the like; contagious warmth of feeling, action, or expression; pathetic quality.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Ancient Greek πᾰ́σχω / pathos

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