Plorable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Deserving of grief, sorrow, or lamentation, as something regrettable and sad to witness
2. Describing a situation so unfortunate or wretched that it calls forth tears or sorrowful regret
3. Worthy of being mourned, bemoaned, or pitied because of its miserable or pitiful condition

Etymology: "Plorable" is formed from the Latin verb "plorare," meaning "to weep" or "to wail," with the suffix "-able" added, so the sense is "capable of being wept over" or "deserving of lament." The root also gave English "deplore," which came into the language from French and retains the idea of mourning something lost or regrettable. The adjective is rare. Its usage is mostly literary and it appears in older dictionaries and in some Latinate writing, where it describes things that are pitiable or lamentable rather than merely disappointing. Because the word is so seldom used, its history is closely tied to the broader family of "plor-" words, which all share the notion of tears and crying out in grief.