1851, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick:Straightway, he now goes on to make a full confession; whereupon the mariners became more and more appalled, but still are pitiful.
So appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it; eliciting pity.Scotland has a pitiful climate.
Very small (of an amount or number).A pitiful number of students bothered to turn up.
