tragico-, tragi-, trago-, trag-

A gum extract obtained in a dried form from various Asiatic or East European species of plants: The tragacanth from a shrub or tree from the genus Astragalus is used in the arts and as an emulsifying agent and pill excipient in pharmacy.

Relating to the prominence in front of the external ear opening: When Amy's ear started to bleed, she went to the doctor who informed her that she had a tragal infection of the tragus, which was the fleshy projection that partly covers the entrance to the outer ear.

1. A writer who writes tragedies: A very famous playwright of tragic dramas, or tragedians, was William Shakespeare.
2. An actor who specializes in tragic roles: The director of the play was looking for tragedians to play the parts of Romeo and Juliet in the Shakespeare tragedy.

1. An actress of misfortune or who performs in tragic dramas: Sherry was the tragedienne in the theater production of Shakespeare's play "Othello, the Moor of Venice" and acted the role of Othello's wife Desdemona absolutely marvelously.

Little Susan was a tragedienne with her mother when she wanted to have the dress which she saw in the store when they were shopping because she thought that she just couldn't live without it!
2. Etymology: from Greek tragodia, "a dramatic poem or play in formal language and having an unhappy resolution;" from French tragedienne; from tragedie; "tragedy" or "a disastrous event".

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1. A drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances; the genre made up of such works and the art or theory of writing or producing these works: William Shakespeare is noted for his many dramas called tragedies, like Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.

A tragedy can also be a play, film, television program, or other narrative work that portrays or depicts calamitous events and has an unhappy but meaningful ending.
3. A disastrous event, especially one involving distressing loss or injury to life: It was an expedition that ended in tragedy, with all hands lost at sea.
4. A tragic aspect or element, such as a lamentable, dreadful, or fatal event or affair; a calamity; a disaster: The people of many countries are experiencing the tragedies of war every time the news tells of more deaths.
5. Etymology: from Old French tragedie (14th century); from Latin tragedia, "a tragedy"; from Greek tragodia, "a dramatic poem or play in formal language and having an unhappy resolution"; apparently literally, "goat song", from tragos, "goat" + oide, "song".

More etymological information about tragedy.

A fabulous animal, partly a goat and partly a stag; While reading some fables, Wendy came across a tragelaph, a mythical creature in Greek mythology.

1 Regarding something very sad, often involving death and suffering: Her friends were deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic news of Mary's death.
2. Belonging or relating to literature about death or suffering: In the drama, Romeo was the tragic hero who, along with Juliet, died in a tragic way.
3. Extremely mournful, melancholy, or pathetic: The circumstances surrounding Jill's separation and divorce from her husband were tragic, but she had a lot of friends who helped her through the distressing times.
4. Dreadful, calamitous, disastrous, or fatal: The tragic mistake that Jack made was driving too fast and causing a terrible accident.
5. Pertaining to, characterized by, or of the nature of tragedy: Wars always have a tragic significance of lives being lost and affects the whole word in many different ways.

1. Very sad; especially involving grief or death or destruction: It is extremely tragical that so many innocent men, women, and children die in wars.
2. Being extremely mournful, melancholy, or pathetic: After many years of her tragical life, Mrs. Black decided to move to another town far away from her sad past.

Descriptive of how something happens in a sad, unfortunate, or disastrous way: When Jack and Jill started their hiking dventure in the mountains, they didn't realize that it would end tragically.

1. A dramatic composition or other written work that involves elements of amusement and sadness: Judy really liked going to see tragicomedies where she could laugh and cry in one production!
2. An incident, or series of incidents, combining sorrow and comic elements: The little accident could be described as a tragicomedy when each of the two girls tried to catch the falling vase as it finally tumbled to the floor and broke!

Regarding something having pathetic as well as ludicrous characteristics: The tragicomic play described the life of a Mrs. Robinson with all the comic aspects, gayness, and laughter, and also including the very grief-stricken and disastrous moments.

A point in the depth of the notch just above the tragus of the ear: A tragion is the anthropometric spot situated in the notch just above the small cartilaginous flap in front of the external opening of the ear.

1. A strong offensive odor via perspiration of the armpits: Tragomaschalia is also termed bromidrosis, or the fetid or foul smell of sweat of the axillae.
2. Etymology: from Greek tragomaschalos, "with smelling armpits", from tragos, "goat" + maschale, the "axilla" (the hollow place under the arm where it is joined to the shoulder).

A peculiar broken quality of the voice; egophony: Tragophonia can be described as the bleating of a goat.

Sometimes such tragophony can be observed in patients with cases of pleurisy with effusion.

A deformity in which the knees are abnormally close together and the space between the ankles is increased more than normally;; genus valium: When Jenny had her physical exam at Dr. Smith's office, he informed her that she had a case of tragopodia, which was also known as "knock knees", and prescribed some physical training to help her situation.