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comedy

 - 2 dictionary results

com⋅e⋅dy

[kom-i-dee]
–noun, plural -dies.
1. a play, movie, etc., of light and humorous character with a happy or cheerful ending; a dramatic work in which the central motif is the triumph over adverse circumstance, resulting in a successful or happy conclusion.
2. that branch of the drama which concerns itself with this form of composition.
3. the comic element of drama, of literature generally, or of life.
4. any literary composition dealing with a theme suitable for comedy, or employing the methods of comedy.
5. any comic or humorous incident or series of incidents.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME comedye < ML cōmēdia, L cōmoedia < Gk kōmōidía, equiv. to kōmōid(ós) comedian (kômo(s) merry-making + aoidós singer) + -ia -y 3


co⋅me⋅di⋅al [kuh-mee-dee-uhl] , adjective


5. jesting, humor, pleasantry, banter.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To comedy
com·e·dy   (kŏm'ĭ-dē)   
n.   pl. com·e·dies
    1. A dramatic work that is light and often humorous or satirical in tone and that usually contains a happy resolution of the thematic conflict.

    2. The genre made up of such works.

  1. A literary or cinematic work of a comic nature or that uses the themes or methods of comedy.

  2. Popular entertainment composed of jokes, satire, or humorous performance.

  3. The art of composing or performing comedy.

  4. A humorous element of life or literature: the human comedy of political campaigns.

  5. A humorous occurrence.


[Middle English comedie, from Medieval Latin cōmēdia, from Latin cōmoedia, from Greek kōmōidia, from kōmōidos, comic actor : kōmos, revel + aoidos, singer (from aeidein, to sing; see wed-2 in Indo-European roots).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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