tragedy
TRAD-zheh-dee
Tragedy (noun) means a serious play or story in which the main character comes to ruin, often through a personal flaw or fate. Example: “Our drama class is studying a Greek tragedy about a king who falls from power.”
noun
1
A serious play or story in which the main character comes to ruin, often through a personal flaw or fate.
"Our drama class is studying a Greek tragedy about a king who falls from power."
"In a classic tragedy, the hero's pride usually leads to his downfall in the final act."
"Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is one of the greatest tragedies in English literature."
2
A disastrous event, especially one causing great suffering or loss of life.
"The flood was a terrible tragedy for the families who lost their homes."
"The plane crash was a tragedy that shook the whole town."
"It would be a tragedy to lose such a historic building to fire."
How to use tragedy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a serious dramatic work ending badly, or a real event that causes great sadness or loss.
Common pairings
a personal tragedy
Greek tragedy
tragedy struck
family tragedy
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like tragedy.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- tragedies
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Our drama class is studying a Greek _____ about a king who falls from power.
Etymology
From Old French tragedie, from Latin tragoedia, from Ancient Greek tragōidía, literally "goat-song" — likely a reference to the goat-costumed performers in early Greek drama, though the exact link is debated.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for tragedy
See all rhymes for tragedy →Frequently asked questions
What does “tragedy” mean?
The word “tragedy” means a serious play or story in which the main character comes to ruin, often through a personal flaw or fate. In plain terms, either a serious dramatic work ending badly, or a real event that causes great sadness or loss.
How do you pronounce “tragedy”?
“Tragedy” is pronounced TRAD-zheh-dee (/ˈtɹæd͡ʒɛdi/ in IPA).
How do you use “tragedy” in a sentence?
Here is “tragedy” used in a sentence: “The plane crash was a tragedy that shook the whole town.”
What part of speech is “tragedy”?
“Tragedy” is a noun.
Where does the word “tragedy” come from?
The word “tragedy” comes from Ancient Greek. From Old French tragedie, from Latin tragoedia, from Ancient Greek tragōidía, literally "goat-song" — likely a reference to the goat-costumed performers in early Greek drama, though the exact link is debated.
Is “tragedy” a common word?
“Tragedy” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “tragedy” have?
“Tragedy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a serious play or story in which the main character comes to ruin, often through a personal flaw or fate.
What is the difference between a tragedy and a comedy?
A tragedy is a serious play or story in which the main character comes to ruin, often through a personal flaw or fate. A comedy, by contrast, is usually light in tone and typically ends happily.
What is the difference between a tragedy and a disaster?
"Tragedy" emphasizes the suffering and loss caused by an event, and it can also mean a dramatic genre. "Disaster" focuses on the sudden, catastrophic event itself, such as a flood or crash, without the dramatic or emotional framing.
What is a 'tragic flaw'?
A tragic flaw is a defect in the main character's personality that helps bring about their downfall in a tragedy. It reflects the idea that the character's ruin often comes through a personal weakness rather than pure bad luck.
What is the plural of tragedy?
The plural of "tragedy" is "tragedies," following the usual rule of changing -y to -ies. So one disastrous event is a tragedy, and several are tragedies.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include tragedy:
