comedy English · revision 4669

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1374|origins=grc κωμῳδία}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈkɒm.ə.di/, US /ˈkɑː.mə.di/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|comedie]], [[bor|fro|comedie|t=a poem]], and directly from [[la|cōmoedia]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[grc|κωμῳδία|tr=kōmōidía|t=a comedy, amusing spectacle]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from kōmōidós “actor or singer in the revels”, from kômos “revel, merrymaking, festive procession” and aoidós “singer”, from aeídein “to sing”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) which is related to ōidḗ, the source of [[ode]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The origin of kômos is uncertain: perhaps from PIE *komso- “praise”, while Beekes suggests it is Pre-Greek; the old derivation from kṓmē “village” is no longer accepted.^(Etymonline) It is related to [[comic]] and [[tragedy]].^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A narrative poem with a happy ending: 1374 in the OED, about 1385 in Barnhart, in Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) This medieval sense is the one in Dante's Commedia.^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The classical sense, an amusing play with a happy ending, was close to the modern one, but in the Middle Ages the word was applied chiefly to poems and stories, with a happy ending as the essential element.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Mystery plays or interludes with a happy ending were called comedies in 1530,^(OED 1989) and the revival of learning in the 16th century recovered the ancient comedies and moved the word back to the theatre.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The branch of drama that uses a humorous style is from 1387 in the OED.^(OED 1989) Incidents in real life seen as comic are from 1570,^(OED 1989) the ''comedy of manners'' from 1822,^(OED 1989) and humour or the quality of being amusing from 1877.^(OED 1989) ''Comedian'' was first a writer of comedies (1581, in Sidney) and a comic actor from 1601, in Twelfth Night.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1374 – a narrative poem with a happy ending.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1530 – a play with a happy ending.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1570 – comic incidents in real life.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1581 – ''comedian'', writer of comedies.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1601 – ''comedian'', comic actor.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1822 – ''comedy of manners''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1877 – humour.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Entertainment such as films, plays or television that is intended to make people [[laugh]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A play, film or other work that is humorous and usually has a happy ending.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The amusing side of something; [[humour]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The work of a comedian, such as stand-up comedy.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[comedian]]

+ * [[comedic]]

+ * [[dramedy]]

+ * [[comedist]]

+ * [[comedy drama]]

+ * [[high comedy]]

+ * [[musical comedy]]

+ * [[comedy of manners]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[comic]]

+ * [[ode]]

+ * [[tragedy]]

+ * [[melody]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}