Synonyms

tragic flaw

tragic flaw

noun Literature.
the character defect that causes the downfall of the protagonist of a tragedy; hamartia.

Origin:
1950–55
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Tragic flaw is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
Collins
World English Dictionary
tragic flaw
 
n
a failing of character in the hero of a tragedy that brings about his downfall

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

tragic flaw

(hamartia from Greek hamartanein, "to err"), inherent defect or shortcoming in the hero of a tragedy, who is in other respects a superior being favoured by fortune.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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