tragical

English

Pronunciation

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Adjective

tragical (comparative more tragical, superlative most tragical)

1. (archaic) tragic
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:

     We shall not describe this tragical scene too fully; but we thought ourselves obliged, by that historic integrity which we profess, shortly to hint a matter which we would otherwise have been glad to have spared.

   • 1898, Liliʻuokalani, “Kamehameha IV”, in Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen, Boston, Massachusetts, United States: Lee and Shephard Publishers, page 18:

     Fortunately the illness passed away without serious consequences; yet it seemed the first break in our festivities, and was followed by an event of a most tragical nature.

   • 1918, Woodrow Wilson, Address to the Joint Session of Congress on the Fourteen Points:

     No statesman who has the least conception of responsibility ought for a moment to permit himself to continue this tragical and appalling outpouring of blood and treasure […]

Derived terms

• comico-tragical