armselig
Translation
pathetic, pitiful, wretched, miserable
Examples
Er lebt in armseligen Verhältnissen.
He lives in wretched conditions.
Das war eine armselige Ausrede.
That was a pathetic excuse.
Grammar Patterns
to be armselig to be pathetic His excuse was pathetic.
an armselig + Noun a pathetic + noun He lives in wretched conditions.
Similar Words
Synonyms: erbärmlich, jämmerlich; Antonyms: prächtig, großartig
Etymology
From 'arm' (poor) + 'selig' (blessed). Ironically, it means 'blessed with poverty', hence pitiful or wretched.
Memory Tips
Imagine someone so 'arm' (poor) that their only 'blessing' ('selig') is their poverty, which is a pitiful state.