English
tragedy
Tragedy comes from Ancient Greek τραγῳδία ‘epic play, tragedy’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτραγῳδίαtragōidía‘epic play, tragedy’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtragoedia
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400tragedie
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500tragedie
- Englishearliest quotation 1904–1905tragedy
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτραγῳδίαtragōidía‘epic play, tragedy’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtragoedia
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400tragedie
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500tragedie
- Englishearliest quotation 1904–1905tragedy
Earliest quotation: 1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., The Tragedy in Dartmoor Terrace: “The story of this adoption is, of course, the…”
A compound of τράγος ‘male goat’ + ᾠδή ‘song’
Ancient Greek τράγω ‘to gnaw, nibble’
Ancient Greek τράγος ‘male goat’
Proto-Hellenic *awoidós ‘singer’
Proto-Hellenic *awéidō ‘to sing’
Ancient Greek ᾰ̓είδω ‘to sing’
Ancient Greek ᾠδή ‘song’
The story
From the Middle English tragedie, from the Old French tragedie, from the Latin tragoedia, from the Ancient Greek τραγῳδία (tragōidía, “epic play, tragedy”), from τράγος (trágos, “male goat”) + ᾠδή (ōidḗ, “song”), possibly a reference to the goat-satyrs of the theatrical plays of the Dorians, or according to Beekes possibly to a goat given as prize, though the etymology remains uncertain.uncertain The source flags this step as uncertain.
Every English word from Ancient Greek τραγῳδία
Today it means
noun A drama or similar work, in which the main character is brought to ruin or otherwise suffers the extreme consequences of some tragic flaw or weakness of character.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek τραγῳδία / tragedy