"ludicrous anticlimax, a descent from the sublime to the ridiculous," 1727, from Greek bathos "depth," which is related to bathys "deep" (see benthos). The word was introduced in this sense by Pope.
Entries linking to bathos
benthos n.
"life forms of the deep ocean and sea floor," 1891, coined by Haeckel from Greek benthos "depth of the sea," which is related to bathos "depth," bathys "deep, high;" which probably is Indo-European but of unknown origin. As an adjective, benthal is attested from 1877; benthic from 1902.
bathetic adj.
1834, from bathos on the model of pathetic (q.v.), which, however, does not come directly from pathos, so the formation is either erroneous or humorous. Bathotic (1863, perhaps on model of chaotic) is not much better.