pitifully

In a pitiful manner.

Adverb

  1. In a pitiful manner.
    • The coral faded even from her lips, till they were as white as Leo's face, and quivered pitifully. - 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, “The Balance Turns”, in She: A History of Adventure, London:...

Origin

From Middle English petefully, petifullie, pyttyfully, pytyffully; equivalent to pitiful + -ly.

Forms

more pitifully most pitifully