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From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Alternative forms

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  • comedie (archaic, often affected as such for humorous effect)
  • comœdie (obsolete)
  • comœdy (archaic)

Etymology

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Etymology tree
Ancient Greek κῶμος (kômos)
Proto-Hellenic *awéidō
Proto-Hellenic *-ā́
Proto-Hellenic *awoidā́
Ancient Greek ᾰ̓οιδή (ăoidḗ)
Ancient Greek ᾠδή (ōidḗ)
Ancient Greek κῶμος (kômos)
Proto-Hellenic *awoidós
Ancient Greek ἀοιδός (aoidós)
Ancient Greek κωμῳδῐ́ᾱ (kōmōidĭ́ā)bor.
Middle French comediebor.
Middle English comedie
English comedy

Inherited from Middle English comedie, borrowed from Middle French comedie, from Latin cōmoedia, borrowed from Ancient Greek κωμῳδῐ́ᾱ (kōmōidĭ́ā), from κῶμος (kômos, revel, carousing) + ᾠδή (ōidḗ, song), or from κῶμος (kômos, revel, carousing) + ἀοιδός (aoidós, singer, bard). Doublet of commedia.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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comedy (countable and uncountable, plural comedies)

  1. (countable, historical) a choric song of celebration or revel, especially in Ancient Greece
  2. (countable) a light, amusing play with a happy ending
    A Midsummer Night's Dream is among Shakespeare's most famous comedies.
  3. (countable, Medieval Europe) a narrative poem with an agreeable ending (e.g., The Divine Comedy)
  4. (countable, drama) a dramatic work that is light and humorous or satirical in tone
  5. (drama) the genre of such works
  6. (uncountable) entertainment composed of jokes, satire, or humorous performance
    Why would you be watching comedy when there are kids starving right now?
  7. the art of composing comedy
  8. (countable) a humorous event

Antonyms

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  • (antonym(s) of light, humorous, or satirical work): drama (in its narrower sense)
  • (antonym(s) of light, humorous, or satirical work): tragedy

Hypernyms

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  • (light, humorous, or satirical work): drama (in its broader sense)

Hyponyms

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  • (light, humorous, or satirical work): farce

Derived terms

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Related terms

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Descendants

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Translations

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a choric song of celebration or revel
a light, amusing play with a happy ending
(medieval Europe) a narrative poem with an agreeable ending
dramatic work that is light and humorous or satirical in tone
the genre of such works

See also

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Further reading

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