English
comedian
Comedian comes from French comédien ‘actor’, from comédie ‘comedy’, and ultimately from Proto-Hellenic *awéidō ‘to sing’.
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*awéidō‘to sing’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEᾰ̓είδω‘to sing’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEᾰ̓οιδήăoidḗ
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEᾠδήōidḗ‘the art of singing’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκῶμοςkômos‘festival’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀείδωaeídō‘to sing, chant, praise’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀοιδόςaoidós‘singer, minstrel, bard’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκωμῳδίαkōmōidía‘comedy’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōmoedia
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400comedie
- Frenchc. 1600–presentcomédie‘comedy’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentcomédien‘actor’
- Englishearliest quotation a. 1587comedian
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*awéidō‘to sing’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEᾰ̓είδω‘to sing’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEᾰ̓οιδήăoidḗ
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEᾠδήōidḗ‘the art of singing’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκῶμοςkômos‘festival’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀείδωaeídō‘to sing, chant, praise’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀοιδόςaoidós‘singer, minstrel, bard’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκωμῳδίαkōmōidía‘comedy’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōmoedia
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400comedie
- Frenchc. 1600–presentcomédie‘comedy’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentcomédien‘actor’
- Englishearliest quotation a. 1587comedian
Earliest quotation: a. 1587, Phillip Sidney [i.e., Philip Sidney]: “This doth the Comedy handle ſo in our priuate…”
Equivalent to comedy + -ian
Proto-Hellenic *awéidō ‘to sing’
…
Ancient Greek κωμῳδία ‘comedy’
Latin cōmoedia ‘a comedy’
Middle French comedie
Middle English comedie
English comedy
Linked words
through Ancient Greek ᾠδή ‘the art of singing’
through Ancient Greek κῶμος ‘festival’
Today it means
noun An entertainer who performs in a humorous manner, especially by telling jokes.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Hellenic *awéidō / comedian