# path vs pathos

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### path
*noun · IPA /pɑːθ/ · frequency rank #2,006*
A trail for the use of, or worn by, pedestrians.

### pathos
*noun · IPA /ˈpeɪˌθɒs/ · frequency rank #35,870*
The quality or property of anything which touches the feelings or excites emotions and passions, especially that which awakens tender emotions, such as pity, sorrow, and the like; contagious warmth of feeling, action, or expression; pathetic quality.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/path-vs-pathos