Etymologically
Log in

δρᾶμα

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 17 October 2026 at 16:57. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /drâː.ma/[1]
  • IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ˈðra.ma/[1]
  • IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈðra.ma/[1]

Forms

δρᾶμᾰ (drâma) n (genitive δρᾱ́μᾰτος); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is formed from δράω (drā́ō, “to do, act”) with the result-noun suffix -μα (-ma).[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first recorded use is in Aeschylus' Agamemnon (533), for a deed, as opposed to πάθος (páthos) “suffering”.[4][3]

Semantic evolution

Herodotus uses it for a play: Phrynichus produced a drama on the capture of Miletus.[5] In Aristophanes, Plato, Demosthenes and Aristotle it is a play, tragedy or comedy, and Aristotle discusses what lies inside or outside the action of the drama.[3][2][5] Plato also uses it for a person's business or duty and, figuratively, for a role in life, a performance, and stagey behaviour.[2][3] Polybius and Plutarch use it for a dramatic event in real life.[3]

Late Latin borrowed it as drama.[6][1] Modern Greek δράμα is a play and a drama in life; its senses “drama (genre)” and “tragic event” are semantic loans from French drame.[7]

Timeline

  • 6th–5th century BC – Aeschylus uses it for a deed.[4][3]
  • 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it for a tragedy by Phrynichus.[5]
  • 5th–4th century BC – Aristophanes and Plato use it for a play.[3][2][5]
  • 4th century BC – Aristotle discusses the action of a drama.[2][5]
  • 2nd century BC – Polybius uses it for a dramatic event.[3][5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A deed, act.[2][3]
  2. A business, duty.[2]
  3. A play, drama, tragedy or comedy.[2][3]
  4. (figurative) A dramatic event; a role; theatrics.[3]

Word family

  • δραματικός (drāmatikós)
  • δραμάτιον (dramátion)
  • δραματοποιέω (dramatopoiéō)
  • δραματουργία (drāmatourgíā)
  • δραματουργός (drāmatourgós)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  4. ^ a b Keersmaekers, Alek (2021–2025), GLAUx: The Greek Language Automated corpus, https://github.com/alekkeersmaekers/glaux
  5. ^ a b c d e f Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
  6. ^ Saalfeld, Günther Alexander (1874), Index Graecorum vocabulorum in linguam latinam translatorum, Berlin: Weidmann
  7. ^ Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki