tragedy

[ traj-i-dee ]

noun

, plural trag·e·dies.

1. a lamentable, dreadful, or fatal event or affair; calamity; disaster:

   stunned by the tragedy of so many deaths.

2. a dramatic composition, often in verse, dealing with a serious or somber theme, typically involving a great person destined to experience downfall or utter destruction, as through a character flaw or conflict with some overpowering force, as fate or an unyielding society.
3. the branch of the drama that is concerned with this form of composition.
4. the art and theory of writing and producing tragedies.
5. any literary composition, as a novel, dealing with a somber theme carried to a tragic or disastrous conclusion.
6. the tragic or mournful or calamitous element of drama, of literature generally, or of life.

tragedy

/ ˈtrædʒɪdɪ /

noun

1. (esp in classical and Renaissance drama) a play in which the protagonist, usually a man of importance and outstanding personal qualities, falls to disaster through the combination of a personal failing and circumstances with which he cannot deal
2. (in later drama, such as that of Ibsen) a play in which the protagonist is overcome by a combination of social and psychological circumstances
3. any dramatic or literary composition dealing with serious or sombre themes and ending with disaster
4. (in medieval literature) a literary work in which a great person falls from prosperity to disaster, often through no fault of his own
5. the branch of drama dealing with such themes
6. the unfortunate aspect of something
7. a shocking or sad event; disaster

tragedy

1. A serious drama in which a central character , the protagonist — usually an important, heroic person — meets with disaster either through some personal fault or through unavoidable circumstances. In most cases, the protagonist's downfall conveys a sense of human dignity in the face of great conflict. Tragedy originated in ancient Greece in the works of Aeschylus , Sophocles , and Euripides . In modern times, it achieved excellence with William Shakespeare in such works as Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, and Othello. Twentieth-century tragedies include Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, and Murder in the Cathedral , by T. S. Eliot .

Notes

In common usage, disasters of many kinds are called tragedies.

Aristotle argued that the proper effect of tragedy is catharsis — the purging of the emotions.

Other Words From

• non·trage·dy noun plural nontragedies
• pro·trage·dy adjective
• super·trage·dy noun plural supertragedies

Word History and Origins

Origin of tragedy¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English tragedie, from Medieval Latin tragēdia, Latin tragoedia, from Greek tragōidía, from trág(os) “goat” + ōid(ḗ) “song” ( ode ) + -ia -y ³; reason for name variously explained

Word History and Origins

Origin of tragedy¹

C14: from Old French tragédie , from Latin tragoedia , from Greek tragōidia , from tragos goat + ōidē song; perhaps a reference to the goat-satyrs of Peloponnesian plays

Example Sentences

In 1968, Hardin wrote his essay “The Tragedy of the Commons,” which warned that population growth will outpace the gains of conservation as people overuse the planet’s resources.

From Salon

“The idea that we have a child, a teenager, who is seriously ill from this virus is just really an utter tragedy. But sadly, it’s not surprising, given everything we’ve known about H5N1 and its potential to cause illness.”

From Los Angeles Times

“I played Othello at 22. I am about to play Othello at 70,” he said, referring to the 2025 Broadway production of the tragedy co-starring Jake Gyllenhaal.

From Los Angeles Times

“I think the election of Donald Trump could be potentially a tragedy for our best hopes of transitioning to a more clean energy economy,” Rawlins said, pointing to the president-elect’s promises to fossil-fuel companies while campaigning.

From Slate

On a previous visit to Valencia, the king, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the regional president Carlos Mazón were insulted, jostled and had mud thrown at them by people in the town of Paiporta, due to the perceived lack of state help in the wake of the tragedy.

From BBC

Related Words

• adversity
• calamity
• catastrophe
• failure
• hardship
• humiliation
• misfortune
• mishap
• shock
• struggle
• woe
• wreck