The spelling of the word "patheticus" can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The first syllable "pa-" is pronounced as /pæ/, with the "a" sound being a short "a" as in "cat." The second syllable "-thet-" is pronounced as /θɛt/, with the "th" sound being a voiceless dental fricative and the "e" sound being a short "e" as in "bet." The final syllable "-icus" is pronounced as /ɪkəs/, with the "i" sound being a short "i" as in "bit." Therefore, the correct spelling of "patheticus" is pronounced as /pæˈθɛtɪkəs/.
Nervus patheticus, nervus trochlearis.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "patheticus" is derived from the Latin word "patheticus", which in turn comes from the Greek word "pathetikos". The Greek term originated from "pathos", meaning "suffering" or "emotion", ultimately tracing its roots to the Proto-Indo-European root "*kwent(h)-", meaning "to suffer". Over time, the word "patheticus" evolved in English and various other languages, adopting different usages and connotations, such as expressing emotional distress, sympathy, or even implying something that elicits pity.