What term indicates a sorrowful experience that can evoke emotional responses in people?

The term that indicates a sorrowful experience capable of evoking emotional responses in people is "pathos." This word originates from Greek, where it refers to an appeal to emotion, especially sorrow or compassion. In rhetoric, pathos is used to elicit feelings from an audience, often to persuade them or to create a connection based on shared emotions. For instance, a story that highlights suffering or tragedy often employs pathos to reach the audience's hearts and encourage empathy.

In contrast, the other terms do not relate to sorrowful experiences. "Pecuniary" pertains to money or financial matters, which doesn't evoke emotional responses regarding sorrow. "Panoply" refers to a complete or impressive collection of things, typically lacking any emotional connotation. "Ostracize" means to exclude someone from a society or group, which can cause emotional pain but does not inherently express or denote sorrow itself. Thus, "pathos" is the most accurate term in the context of evoking sorrowful experiences and emotional responses.