different between pitiful vs scurrile

English

Alternative forms

• pitifull (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English pityful, piteful, piteeful, equivalent to pity +? -ful.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p?t.?.fl?/

Adjective

pitiful (comparative pitifuller, superlative pitifullest)

1. (now rare) Feeling pity; merciful.
   • 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.

2. So appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it; eliciting pity.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:lamentable

3. Of an amount or number: very small.

Related terms

• pitiable
• pity

Translations

Adverb

pitiful (comparative more pitiful, superlative most pitiful)

1. (colloquial, dialect) In a pitiful manner; pitifully; piteously; pathetically.

Translations

English

Etymology

From French scurrile, from Latin scurrilis.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?sk??a?l/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?sk???l/, /?sk??a?l/

Adjective

scurrile (comparative more scurrile, superlative most scurrile)

1. (archaic) Scurrilous.
   • 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, III.1.1.i:

     ’Tis not scurrile this, but chaste, honest, most part serious, and even of religion itself.

   • 1668, Thomas Spratt, The Works of Mr Abraham Cowley Preface

     the wretched affectation of scurril laughter

Italian

Etymology

From Latin scurr?lis.

Adjective

scurrile (plural scurrili)

1. scurrilous, coarse

Related terms

• scurrilità

Further reading

• scurrile in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana