English

Alternative forms

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

Etymology

    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

    Noun

    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

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

    Hypernyms

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

    Hyponyms

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

    Derived terms

    Descendants

    Translations

    See also

    Further reading