How to pronounce pathos
Say it like PAY-thahs. Pathos has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PAY).
VoiceSpeed
US American/ˈpeɪθɑs/PAY-thahs
UK British/ˈpeɪˌθɒs/PAY-thos
- PAY
- thahs
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pathos pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- thahsKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of pathos
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: PAY-thos.
What does pathos mean?
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.
- A form of rhetoric in which the writer or speaker uses emotional appeals to the audience as the main form of persuasion.
- An author's attempt to evoke a feeling of pity or sympathetic sorrow for a character.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying pathos
How do you pronounce pathos?
Say PAY-thahs. The American pronunciation is /ˈpeɪθɑs/. In British English it is /ˈpeɪˌθɒs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in pathos?
Pathos has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PAY). Broken into parts: PAY · thahs.
Is pathos pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈpeɪˌθɒs/ (PAY-thos).