Quality evoking pity (6)
I believe the answer is:
pathos
'quality evoking pity' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for pathos that I've seen before include "Hot spa (anag) - sadness" , "feeling of pity" , "Quality arousing pity" , "Quality eliciting pity and sympathy" , "Literary style arousing feelings of sorrow and sympathy" .)