comic meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

comic

adj

UK /ˈkɒmɪk/ · US /ˈkɑmɪk/

Etymology From Latin comicus, from Ancient Greek κωμικός (kōmikós, “relating to comedy”), from κῶμος (kômos, “carousal”).

Pertaining to comedy, as a literary genre.

Using the techniques of comedy, as a composition, performer etc; amusing, entertaining.

There is a quartet of comic musicians, who perform on instruments of an inconceivable bassness […]1954, Canadian Saturday Night: A Magazine of Business & National Affairs:

Unintentionally humorous; amusing, ridiculous.

As there was something excessively comique in the distress of the landlord and his wife […], I could not forbear staying a little to be amused with it.1792, Charlotte Smith, Desmond, Broadview, published 2001, page 262:

Of or relating to comics or sequential art.

Synonyms: comedic, comical
Related terms: comedian, comedy, comical, comicality, comically, comicalness, comic cut, comicness, comiconomenclaturist, comic opera, comic relief, comicry, comic strip, comic timing, heroicomic, noncomic, semicomic, tragicomic, uncomic

noun

Etymology From Latin comicus, from Ancient Greek κωμικός (kōmikós, “relating to comedy”), from κῶμος (kômos, “carousal”).

A comedian.

She started out as a joke-writer on the radio, and first performed as a comic at the ages of 30.

A story composed of drawn images arranged in a sequence, usually with textual captions; a comic book.

UK A children's magazine.

Derived terms: comic-adjacent, comicana, comic book, comicdom, comic dub, comics, comic strip, comicverse, film comic, minicomic, momic, photocomic, prop comic, rage comic, scienticomic, scientificomic, sprite comic, stand-up comic, webcomic