tragedy
/ˈtɹæd͡ʒ.ɪ.di/ noun
Forms tragedies tragœdy tragoedy tragœdie tragoedie tragedie
- noun A drama or similar work, in which the main character is brought to ruin or otherwise suffers the extreme consequences of some tragic flaw or weakness of character.
- noun The genre of such works, and the art of producing them.
- noun A disastrous event, especially one involving great loss of life or injury.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From the Middle English tragedie, from the Old French tragedie, from the Latin tragoedia, from the Ancient Greek τραγῳδία (tragōidía, “epic play, tragedy”), from τράγος (trágos, “male goat”) + ᾠδή (ōidḗ, “song”), possibly a reference to the goat-satyrs of the theatrical plays of the Dorians, or according to Beekes possibly to a goat given as prize, though the etymology remains uncertain.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A dramatic poem, composed in elevated style, representing a signal action performed by some person or persons, and having a fatal issue; that species of drama which represents the sad or terrible phases of character and life.
- noun A fatal and mournful event; any event in which human lives are lost by human violence, more especially by unauthorized violence.
Etymology [OE.tragedie, OF.tragedie, F. tragédie, L. tragoedia, Gr. trout) + Ode.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “tragedy”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details