Meanings
plural tragedians
- An actor who specializes in tragic roles.
Euen thoſe you were wont to take such delight in the Tragedians of the City.
c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 2612 more examples
And as for the separation scene from the child, while Becky was reciting it, Emmy retired altogether behind her pocket-handkerchief, so that the consummate little tragedian must have been charmed to see the effect which her performance produced on her audience.
1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter LXVI, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLCGreene died of a debauch; and Marlowe, the gracer of tragedians, perished in an ignominious brawl.
1902, Thomas Ebenezer Webb, The Mystery of William Shakespeare: A Summary of Evidence, page 242 - A playwright who writes tragedies.
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Old Frenchtragediane
- Middle Englishtragedyen
- Englishtragedian
From Middle English tragedyen, from Old French tragediane (French tragédien), equivalent to tragedy + -ian.
More words from Middle English, Old French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek τραγῳδός, τραγῳδιογράφος
- τραγῳδός (tragōidós)actor who specializes in tragic roles
- τραγῳδιογράφος (tragōidiográphos)playwright who writes tragedies
Bulgarian трагически актьор
- трагически актьор (tragičeski aktjor)actor who specializes in tragic roles
Finnish traagikko
- traagikkoactor who specializes in tragic roles
French tragédien, tragédienne
- tragédienactor who specializes in tragic roles
- tragédienneactor who specializes in tragic roles
German Tragöde, Tragödin
- Tragödeactor who specializes in tragic roles
- Tragödinactor who specializes in tragic roles
Greek τραγωδός
- τραγωδός (tragodós)actor who specializes in tragic roles
Irish aisteoir traigéide
- aisteoir traigéideactor who specializes in tragic roles
Italian tragediografo, tragedo
- tragediografoactor who specializes in tragic roles
- tragedoactor who specializes in tragic roles
Spanish tragediógrafo
- tragediógrafoplaywright who writes tragedies
Swedish tragöd, tragiker
- tragödactor who specializes in tragic roles
- tragikeractor who specializes in tragic roles
- tragödplaywright who writes tragedies
- tragikerplaywright who writes tragedies
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
tragedian. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tragedian
“tragedian.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tragedian. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tragedian,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tragedian.
Source: tragedian on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.