Bathos

Pronunciation: /ˈbeɪθɒs/

Definitions of bathos

noun a literary term used to describe a sudden shift in tone from the lofty or serious to the trivial or mundane, often resulting in a comedic or absurd effect

Example Sentences

A1 I don't understand the meaning of the word 'bathos'.

A2 The movie's attempt at emotional depth ended up being bathos.

B1 The novel's use of bathos created a jarring shift in tone.

B2 The playwright skillfully used bathos to add humor to the serious scene.

C1 The poet's mastery of bathos added layers of complexity to the work.

C2 The filmmaker's subtle use of bathos elevated the entire movie to a new level of artistry.

Examples of bathos in a Sentence

formal The sudden shift from high drama to low comedy in the play created a sense of bathos.

informal The movie's attempt at emotional depth ended up feeling more like bathos.

slang The show's finale was so cheesy, it was practically bathos.

figurative The politician's attempt to appear relatable only resulted in bathos and insincerity.

Grammatical Forms of bathos

• past tense: bathosed
• plural: bathoses
• comparative: more bathetic
• superlative: most bathetic
• present tense: bathos
• future tense: will bathos
• perfect tense: has bathosed
• continuous tense: is bathosing
• singular: bathos
• positive degree: bathos
• infinitive: to bathos
• gerund: bathosing
• participle: bathosed

Origin and Evolution of bathos

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: Greek

Story behind the word: The word 'bathos' originated in ancient Greek, where it means 'depth' or 'profound'. It was later adopted into Latin.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'bathos' shifted from depth or profoundness to refer to an unintentional or absurd descent from the lofty to the mundane in literature or art.