English
tragical
Tragical comes from Ancient Greek τραγικός ‘of or like a goat, goatish’, and goes back to τράγω ‘to gnaw, nibble’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτράγω‘to gnaw, nibble’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEτράγος‘billy-goat’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEτραγικός‘of or like a goat, goatish’
- Englishearliest quotation 1749tragical
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτράγω‘to gnaw, nibble’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEτράγος‘billy-goat’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEτραγικός‘of or like a goat, goatish’
- Englishearliest quotation 1749tragical
Earliest quotation: 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones: “We shall not describe this tragical scene too fully;…”
Formed from τραγικός + -ālis
Every English word from Ancient Greek τράγω
Today it means
adj Tragic
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek τράγω / tragical