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comic

 - 4 dictionary results
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com⋅ic

  [kom-ik]
Use comic in a Sentence
–adjective
1. of, pertaining to, or characterized by comedy: comic opera.
2. of or pertaining to a person who acts in or writes comedy: a comic actor; a comic dramatist.
3. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of comedy: comic situations; a comic sense.
4. provoking laughter; humorous; funny; laughable.
–noun
5. a comedian.
6. comic book.
7. comics, comic strips.
8. the comic, the element or quality of comedy in literature, art, drama, etc.: An appreciation of the comic came naturally to her.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME < L cōmicus < Gk kōmikós, equiv. to kôm(os) a revel + -ikos -ic
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comic book

 
–noun
a magazine with one or more comic strips.
Also called comic, funny book.

Origin:
1940–45
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To comic
com·ic   (kŏm'ĭk)   
adj.  

  1. Characteristic of or having to do with comedy.

  2. Of or relating to comic strips.

  3. Amusing; humorous: a comic situation involving the family's pets.

n.  

    1. A comedian.

    2. A person whose behavior elicits laughter.

    3. comics Comic strips.

    4. A comic book.

    1. comics Comic strips.

    2. A comic book.

  3. A source of humor in art or life.


[Middle English comice, from Latin cōmicus, from Greek kōmikos, from kōmos, revel.]
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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Word Origin & History

comic  (adj.)
1387, "of comedy in the dramatic sense," from L. comicus, from Gk. komikos "of or pertaining to comedy," from komos (see comedy). Meaning "intentionally funny" first recorded 1791, and comedic (1639) has since picked up the classical sense of the word.
"Speaking of the masters of the comedic spirit (if I call it, as he does, the Comic Spirit, this darkened generation will suppose me to refer to the animal spirits of tomfools and merryandrews) ...." G.B. Shaw, 1897
Something that is comic has comedy as its aim or origin; something is comical (c.1432) if the effect is comedy, whether intended or not. Noun meaning "a comedian" is from 1619; that of "comic book or strip" is from 1889. Comic strip first attested 1920; comic book is from 1941.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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