Tragedy
/ˈtrædʒ.ə.di/noun
A form of drama that depicts serious and often somber themes, typically ending in disaster for the protagonist.
Did you know?In ancient Greece, tragedies were often performed during festivals in honor of Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry, and involved rituals that included sacrifices of goats.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*tragʰ-
“to pull, drag, or to perform (as in a performance)”
Ancient Greek
Greek
τραγῳδία (tragōidia)
“a song sung by a chorus of goats (or performers dressed as goats)”
Latin
Latin
tragedia
“a drama that evokes pity and fear, derived from Greek”
Old French
Old French
tragedie
“a narrative of disastrous events, especially in dramatic form”
Middle English
Middle English
tragedie
“a serious play or story that deals with sorrowful or disastrous themes”
Modern English
English
tragedy
“a dramatic work portraying human suffering, often with a sad or disastrous ending.”