tragic

The word “tragic” means causing great sadness, suffering, or loss. In plain terms, deeply sad, or connected to tragedy as an art form.

“Tragic” is pronounced TRAD-zhihk (/ˈtɹæd͡ʒɪk/ in IPA).

Here is “tragic” used in a sentence: “The tragic accident left three people dead.”

“Tragic” is an adjective.

The word “tragic” comes from Ancient Greek. From Ancient Greek tragikós ("of tragedy"), from trágos ("goat"), tied to the same obscure goat-related origin as "tragedy.".

“Tragic” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Tragic” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: causing great sadness, suffering, or loss.

"Tragic" is far stronger than "sad": it describes events causing great suffering, loss, or death, such as a tragic accident. "Sad" covers any degree of unhappiness, from minor disappointments upward, so calling something tragic signals serious or devastating loss.

In literature, a tragic hero is the central character of a tragedy whose downfall, usually brought about by a personal weakness or an error of judgment, forms the heart of the drama. The term belongs to tragedy as a literary and dramatic form.

"Tragic" is the standard modern adjective; "tragical" is an archaic variant that survives mainly in older literature. In contemporary writing, use "tragic" in every context.

A tragic flaw is the weakness of character or error of judgment that leads to a tragic hero's downfall — pride is a classic example. The concept comes from the study of tragedy as a dramatic form, where it is also known by the Greek term "hamartia".