Dictionary

tragical en · ADJ

Pronunciation

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Etymology

Ultimately from Ancient Greek τραγικός (tragikós) + Latin -ālis. By surface analysis, tragic + -al.

Meanings

1. (archaic) Tragic
   • Fortunately the illness passed away without serious consequences; yet it seemed the first break in our festivities, and was followed by an event of a most tragical nature. 1898, Liliʻuokalani, “Kamehameha IV”, in Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen, Boston, Massachusetts, United States: Lee and Shephard Publishers, page 18:
   • We shall not describe this tragical scene too fully; but we thought ourselves obliged, by that historic integrity which we profess, shortly to hint a matter which we would otherwise have been glad to have spared. 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:
   • No statesman who has the least conception of responsibility ought for a moment to permit himself to continue this tragical and appalling outpouring of blood and treasure […] 1918, Woodrow Wilson, Address to the Joint Session of Congress on the Fourteen Points:

Forms

Deriveds

comico-tragical · tragicalness · supertragical · tragicality · untragical · hypertragical