Pathos — Definition & Meaning

What does pathos mean?

noun

In rhetoric, pathos is an appeal to the emotions of the audience, often used to persuade or convince them. It is one of the three modes of persuasion, along with ethos and logos.

Example

"The politician's speech relied heavily on pathos, using vivid imagery and emotional language to appeal to the audience's sense of justice."

Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.

Words that share this root

Greek: πάθος (pathos), meaning 'suffering' or 'experience'Latin: pati, meaning 'to suffer'Greek: πάθος (pathos), meaning 'feeling' or 'emotion'Greek: πάθος (pathos), meaning 'passion' or 'enthusiasm'

What's another word for pathos?

emotional appeal rhetorical device appeal to emotions sentiment feeling

What's the opposite of pathos?

logic reason fact

Rhymes with pathos

pathos pathos pathos pathos