A very sad or disastrous event, especially one that causes great suffering or death; also, a serious play or story with an unhappy ending.
It comes from Greek 'tragōidia', literally 'goat song', from 'tragos' meaning 'goat' and 'ōidē' meaning 'song'. It referred to a kind of ancient Greek drama performed at festivals where a goat was sometimes a prize or sacrifice.
Try Another Word