comic English · revision 5307

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1387|origins=grc κῶμος}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈkɒm.ɪk/, US /ˈkɑː.mɪk/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|cōmicus|t=of comedy]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[grc|κωμικός|tr=kōmikós|t=of or pertaining to comedy]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[m|grc|κῶμος|tr=kômos|t=revel, merrymaking]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) It is related to [[comedy]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of or belonging to comedy, as distinct from tragedy: 1387, in Trevisa's translation of Higden's Polychronicon.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The noun meant a writer of comedies from 1581 and a comic actor from 1619.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) The modern sense “funny, laughable” is first recorded in 1751 in Johnson's Rambler, though ''comical'' had been used so since the late 17th century;^(Barnhart 1988) the OED has “intentionally funny” from 1791.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) Something comic aims at comedy, while something comical has a comic effect, intended or not.^(Etymonline) ''Comic relief'' is from 1817.^(Etymonline) ''Comics'', humorous drawings in papers, is from 1890 in Etymonline and 1910 in Barnhart,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) the ''comic strip'' from 1914 or 1920,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and the ''comic book'' from 1941.^(Etymonline) An entertainer who tells jokes is by 1952.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1387 – of comedy.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1581 – a writer of comedies.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1619 – a comic actor.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1751 – funny.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1817 – ''comic relief''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1890 – ''comics''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1952 – a comedian.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Funny, causing laughter.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Relating to [[comedy]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Relating to [[comic strip|alt=comic strips]].^(AHD)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[comedian]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A magazine or book of comic strips.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(comics)'' Comic strips in a newspaper.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[comic book]]

+ * [[comic strip]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[comedian]]

+ * [[comedy]]

+ * [[comical]]

+ * [[comic relief]]

+ * [[comic opera]]

+ * [[heroicomic]]

+ * [[noncomic]]

+ * [[semicomic]]

+ * [[tragicomic]]

+ * [[uncomic]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}