The word 'pathetique' from the French language denoted passion and sorrow in Ancient Greek and was used by composers as a title for compositions that they regarded as sorrowful and passionate. 'Pathetique' is the title of one such piece(piano Sonata No.8) by Beethoven and also of a symphony No.6 by his younger brother Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It is pronounced as pa-thet-eeq.
