deplorable
Meaning
deserving strong condemnation; shockingly bad or unacceptable.
causing or being a subject for grief or regret; lamentable.
Structure
Usage
the prisoners were kept in deplorable conditions.
his behavior at the ceremony was simply deplorable.
the lack of investment in public infrastructure is a deplorable state of affairs.
Etymology
the word deplorable originates from the latin verb deplorare, meaning "to weep bitterly, lament." this verb itself is composed of the intensive prefix de- and the root plorare, "to cry out." the latin root plorare is thought to be of onomatopoeic origin, imitating the sound of wailing. entering english via french in the 16th century, the suffix -able was added, shifting the focus from the act of lamenting to the quality that deserves or invites such a profound expression of grief or condemnation. thus, the literal sense of "worthy of being wept over" evolved into its modern meanings of being shockingly bad or deserving strong censure.
Analysis
de: a latin prefix meaning "completely" or "down from," intensifying the root's meaning. plor: from latin plorare, meaning "to cry out, weep, lament." able: a suffix from latin -abilis, forming adjectives meaning "capable of, worthy of, or tending to."