Pitiful is an adjective.
the sick child was pitied
There are various types of people who can be pitied. Some people do not want pity. Those who should be pitied include the homeless, poor, and disabled. Those who cannot care for themselves can be pitied.
I was pitied greatly because my house caught on fire.
"Pity" is one of the most frequently misapplied feelings toward other people we perceive or believe are worse off than ourselves. To be "pitied" doesn't always feel good to the person being pitied. However, we can have empathy and compassion toward others which, generally, is a better thing than to be "pitied".
The part of speech for this particular word is a noun.
part of speech
The part of speech for "answer" is a noun.
what part of speech is beneath
adverb
Pitied
The part of speech for "explicit" is an adjective.
The part of speech for "lecturer" is a noun.