adj.1 (also tragical) sad; calamitous; greatly distressing (a tragic tale).
2 of, or in the style of, tragedy (tragic drama; a tragic actor).
Phrases and idioms:
tragic irony a device, orig. in Greek tragedy, by which words carry a tragic, esp. prophetic, meaning to the audience, unknown to the character speaking.
Derivatives:
tragically adv.
Etymology: F tragique f. L tragicus f. Gk tragikos f. tragos goat: see TRAGEDY