Patheticism

Origin

First attested in 1758; formed as pathetic + -ism.

Full definition of patheticism

Noun

1. pathetic behaviour
• 1758, An AddreÅ¿s to the Great Man, pages 46–47And can there be a properer Æra for the Revival of Genius and Public Spirit than that of the Ad———n of the Great Man who has been recommended by the One to his diÅ¿treÅ¿Å¿ed and aged K—g, (Å¿o familiarly ventures to Å¿peak the PatheticiÅ¿m of Loyalty) and endeared to his exulting Fellow-Subjects by the Other; and to whom, Å¿hould we be unhappily and unexpectedly diÅ¿appointed, we have a Right to complain, in the Words of Tacitus, that “SucceÅ¿Å¿ere magis alii Homines quam alii Mores!”
• 1880, Thomas Guthrie, William Garden Blaikie, and Benjamin Waugh (editors), The Sunday Magazine (Strahan & Co.), volume 9, page 100A quaint patheticism attends the diminution of obdurate winters with old people, whose excitements half a century ago were less recurrent and longer-lived than with a younger generation.
• 1953, Lionel Charles Knights and Frank Raymond Leavis (editors), Scrutiny (Deighton, Bell and Co.), volume 16, page 309Milly’s witticism sounds a little like Catherine Sloper, but one may, for the measure of distance between the two novels, compare the reality and significant meaning one senses behind Catherine’s little patheticisms with the uninteresting, dull inertness of Milly’s response.
• 2011 July 5th, David Firth, Take This Pill: Health Reminder, Lesson 2, 1:47–1:54 and 2:14–2:27It seems our nurse contracted melodram patheticism from a nervous dog. Silly old cow....Does this look familiar? Are you all weak and pathetic? Do you fear woodlice or splashes from the toilet? Maybe you too have a belt of the old melodram patheticism.