Tragic

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈtrædʒɪk/
• Rhymes: -ædʒɪk

Alternative forms

• tragick obsolete

Origin

From Ancient Greek τραγικός ("of or relating to tragedy"), from τράγος ("male goat"), a reference to the goat-satyrs of the theatrical plays of the Dorians.

Full definition of tragic

Adjective

1. Causing great sadness or suffering.
• 2012, Jan Sapp, Race Finished, Few concepts are as emotionally charged as that of race. The word conjures up a mixture of associations—culture, ethnicity, genetics, subjugation, exclusion and persecution. But is the tragic history of efforts to define groups of people by race really a matter of the misuse of science, the abuse of a valid biological concept?
2. Relating to tragedy in a literary work.
3. (in tabloid newspapers) Involved in a tragedy.
• 2008, Search for tragic Madeleine McCann over (in The Daily Telegraph of Australia, 14 February 2008) http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/search-for-maddie-over/story-e6freuy9-1111115550129
• 2012, Gary Meneely, Keano’s tribute to tragic James (in The Irish Sun, 25 June 2012) http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/irishsun/irishsunnews/4392499/Keanos-tribute-to-tragic-James.html

Derived terms

• tragic flaw

Related terms

• tragicomic
• tragical
• tragically

Noun

1. (obsolete) A writer of tragedy.
2. (obsolete) A tragedy; a tragic drama.