what's the term for language creating pity in readers?

The term for language that creates pity in readers is pathos. Pathos is a rhetorical and literary device used to evoke emotions such as pity, sympathy, or sorrow, aiming to emotionally engage the audience and often persuade them through this emotional connection. Writers use pathos to make readers feel compassion or sorrow for characters or situations, thereby deepening their engagement with the text.