From Greek 'komodia' — 'komos' (drunken procession) + 'oide' (song): the joyful counterpart to tragedy's 'goat-song.'
Definition
A dramatic work that is light and often humorous in tone, typically with a happy resolution.
The Full Story
Greek14th centurywell-attested
From OldFrench comedie, from Latin cōmoedia, from Greek kōmōidía (κωμῳδία), a compound of kômos (κῶμος, a revel, a festive procession, a drunken celebratory parade through the streets) + aoidós (ᾠδός, a singer, from aeidein, to sing). A comedy was literally a revel-song — the song performed during a kômos, the joyful wine-fueled procession that was the celebratory counterpart to tragedy's solemn ceremonial. Both comedy andtragedy
Did you know?
Tragedy is 'goat-song' and comedy is 'revel-song.' Greek drama split into twogenres based on two aspects of the worship of Dionysus: the solemn sacrifice (tragedy) and the drunken procession (comedy). Bothare songs — one for the