tragic English · revision 8045

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1545|origins=grc τραγικός}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈtɹæd͡ʒɪk/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a shortening of earlier tragical (1489, Caxton),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) modelled on Latin [[m|la|tragicus|t=of tragedy]] and partly through French tragique,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) from Greek [[m|grc|τραγικός|tr=tragikós|t=of tragedy; literally of a goat]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from trágos, he-goat, perhaps referring to a satyr played by a goat-singer, and associated with tragōidía, [[tragedy]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Calamitous, disastrous, fatal, resembling the conclusion of a stage tragedy: 1545 (the 1540s).^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) MWU dates it to the 15th century.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Of or pertaining to tragedy as drama is from 1563 (the 1560s),^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and expressing fatal or dreadful events from 1593.^(OED 1989) Befitting the style of tragedy is from 1684.^(OED 1989) ''Tragic flaw'', translating Greek hamartia, is from 1913.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1489 – tragical.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1545 – calamitous.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1563 – of drama.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1913 – tragic flaw.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Causing great sadness, involving death or disaster: ''a tragic accident''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Of or relating to [[tragedy]] as a form of drama.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Mournful or pitiable.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[tragically]]

+ * [[tragicalness]]

+ * [[nontragic]]

+ * [[supertragic]]

+ * [[untragic]]

+ * [[tragic flaw]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[tragicomic]]

+ * [[tragical]]

+ * [[tragedy]]

+ * [[tragicomedy]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}