Pitiful vs Helpless - What's the difference?

As adjectives the difference between pitiful and helpless

is that pitiful is feeling pity; merciful while helpless is unable to defend oneself or to act without help.

* pitifull (archaic)

(pitifuller)

Feeling pity; merciful.

* 1851 , Herman Melville, Moby-Dick :

Straightway, he now goes on to make a full confession; whereupon the mariners became more and more appalled, but still are pitiful .

So appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it; eliciting pity.

Scotland has a pitiful climate.

Very small (of an amount or number).

A pitiful number of students bothered to turn up.

* See also

(en adjective)

Unable to defend oneself or to act without help.

* 1995 , (Bryan Adams),

Then when you find yourself lyin' helpless in her arms

You know you really love a woman

Uncontrollable.

* *