I. ˈtrajik, -jēk adjective
Etymology: Latin tragicus, from Greek tragikos of a he-goat, of tragedy, from tragos he-goat + -ikos -ic
1. : of, marked by, or expressive of tragedy : disastrous , fearful
life will necessarily contain a tragic element — M.R.Cohen
witnessed many uneasy, wakeful … even tragic nights — Walter de la Mare
realize the tragic significance of the atomic bomb — H.S.Truman
2.
a. : dealing with or treated in narrative or dramatic tragedy
differentiates tragic fiction from the merely pathetic — Howard M. Jones
conceptions of the tragic hero — W.H.Auden
b. : appropriate to or typical of dramatic tragedy
to be truly tragic … a plot must do more than bring … emotions to a head — B.A.G.Fuller
the tragic predicament of a mortal creature with immortal longings — Irwin Edman
c. : composing or acting in tragedies
the Greek tragic poets
a notable tragic actress
3.
a. : saddeningly or regrettably serious or unpleasant : deplorable , lamentable
passionate and tragic sense of life — H.M.McLuhan
a … tragic symptom of our times that diplomats do punch nightclub girls — John Lardner
b.
(1) : marked by a sense of tragedy or pessimism
his account … is deeply tragic — Lionel Trilling
a tragic reading of history — F.L.Baumer
(2) : arousing feelings of melancholy : poignant
the tragic peace of the long evening — Ellen Glasgow
a tragic little group of serious and gentle lads — W.E.Leonard
II. noun
( -s )
1. archaic : a writer of tragedy
2. : a tragic quality or element
the tragic in life and art
specifically : the aesthetic quality in tragic drama that excites emotions of pity and terror in the beholder — compare catharsis 2a