comic

[ kom-ik ]

/ ˈkɒm ɪk /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR comic ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of, relating to, or characterized by comedy: comic opera.

of or relating to a person who acts in or writes comedy: a comic actor; a comic dramatist.

of, relating to, or characteristic of comedy: comic situations; a comic sense.

provoking laughter; humorous; funny; laughable.

noun

a comedian.

comic book.

comics, comic strips.

the comic, the element or quality of comedy in literature, art, drama, etc.: An appreciation of the comic came naturally to her.

Nearby words

Origin of comic

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin cōmicus < Greek kōmikós, equivalent to kôm(os) a revel + -ikos -ic

Related formsnon·com·ic, adjective, nounqua·si-com·ic, adjectivesem·i·com·ic, adjectiveun·com·ic, adjective

Can be confusedcomedic comic comical

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for comic

What do you think prompted the change in comic book representation of LGBTQ characters?
Gail Simone’s Bisexual Catman and the ‘Secret Six’|Rich Goldstein|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Why is it important to have a bisexual character in a comic book?
Gail Simone’s Bisexual Catman and the ‘Secret Six’|Rich Goldstein|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the comic books, he sticks around at least until the group reaches the Alexandria Safe-Zone.
The Walking Dead’s ‘Crossed’: The Stage Is Now Set for a Bloody, Deadly Midseason Finale|Melissa Leon|November 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Comic book heroes are even hotter—Spiderman and Batman probably earn more money nowadays than Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.
Can Tarzan of the Apes Survive in a Post-Colonial World?|Ted Gioia|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST

I bought Tarzan comic books, and even had a few issues of ERB-dom, a mimeographed fanzine devoted to the works of Burroughs.
Can Tarzan of the Apes Survive in a Post-Colonial World?|Ted Gioia|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The sunburnt face, puckered with a wry wistfulness, was only comic in its incongruous coat of grease.
No Hero|E.W. Hornung
As he walks in with a despairing air, the audience shriek with laughter (because he is labelled as comic in their brains).
The Modern Pistol and How to Shoot It|Walter Winans
"You'd better get the comic Blackstone," said Mr. Hicks, gravely.
Toppleton's Client|John Kendrick Bangs
There was Page, whose special line was the composition of comic answers to questions.
The Lighter Side of School Life|Ian Hay
It must not be supposed that the immorality of the comic stage consists in the license of language, incident or plot.
Renaissance in Italy: Italian Literature|John Addington Symonds

British Dictionary definitions for comic

comic

/ (ˈkɒmɪk) /

adjective

of, relating to, characterized by, or characteristic of comedy

(prenominal) acting in, writing, or composing comedya comic writer

humorous; funny

noun

a person who is comic, esp a comic actor; comedian

a book or magazine containing comic strips

(usually plural) mainly US and Canadian comic strips in newspapers, etc

Word Origin for comic

C16: from Latin cōmicus, from Greek kōmikos relating to comedy

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for comic

comic

adj.

late 14c., "of comedy in the dramatic sense," from Latin comicus "of comedy, represented in comedy, in comic style," from Greek komikos "of or pertaining to comedy," from komos (see comedy). Meaning "intentionally funny" first recorded 1791, and comedic (1630s) has since picked up the older sense of the word.

Speaking of the masters of the comedic spirit (if I call it, as he does, the Comic Spirit, this darkened generation will suppose me to refer to the animal spirits of tomfools and merryandrews) .... [G.B. Shaw, 1897]

Something that is comic has comedy as its aim or origin; something is comical if the effect is comedy, whether intended or not.

comic

"a comedian" is from 1580s, from comic (adj.). Latin adjective comicus also meant "a comic poet, writer of comedies." Meaning "a comic book or comic strip" is from 1889 (Comic strip first attested 1920; comic book is from 1941). Comic relief is attested from 1825.

comic

adjective

noun

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Origin of comic

Examples from the Web for comic

comic

adjective

noun

Word Origin for comic

comic

comic