Etymologically
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tragicomoedia

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Forms

tragicōmoedia f (genitive tragicōmoediae); first declension[1] The manuscripts have tragicocōmoedia.[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek τραγικοκωμῳδία (tragikokōmōidía), with haplology; by surface analysis, tragicus “tragic” and cōmoedia “comedy”.[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus coins it in the prologue of the Amphitruo for that play.[3][4] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant a play combining elements of tragedy and comedy.[2][3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[3][4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A tragicomedy.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de