English
comedy
Comedy comes from Middle French comedie, from Latin cōmoedia, from Ancient Greek κωμῳδία, from κῶμος ‘revel’ + ἀοιδός ‘singer’ (from ἀείδω ‘to sing’).
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*awéidō‘to sing’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀείδωăeídō‘to sing’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀοιδόςaoidós‘singer’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκωμῳδίαkōmōidĭ́ā‘comedy’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōmoedia‘a comedy’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600comedie
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishtodaycomedy
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*awéidō‘to sing’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀείδωăeídō‘to sing’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀοιδόςaoidós‘singer’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκωμῳδίαkōmōidĭ́ā‘comedy’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōmoedia‘a comedy’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600comedie
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishtodaycomedy
Linked words
through Ancient Greek ᾰ̓είδω ‘to sing, chant, praise’
Today it means
noun a choric song of celebration or revel, especially in Ancient Greece
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Hellenic *awéidō / comedy