Othello

American  

[oh-thel-oh, uh-thel-oh] / oʊˈθɛl oʊ, əˈθɛl oʊ /

noun

1. a tragedy (1604) by Shakespeare.

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Othello Cultural  

1. A tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character, a Moor, or dark-skinned Muslim, is a general commanding the forces of Venice. The villain Iago convinces Othello that Desdemona, the general's beautiful and faithful wife, has been guilty of adultery; at the end of the play, Othello smothers Desdemona. A famous line from the play is Othello's description of himself as “one that loved not wisely but too well.”

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Example Sentences

Wendell Pierce, who has established himself as a formidable actor across various mediums, plays Othello.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026

With a few minor and necessary exceptions dictated by the dramatis personae in certain scenes, Mr. Tucker primarily confines himself to the role of Iago while Mr. Quinn plays Othello.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

He compares his Creasy to Hamlet or Othello.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Since then, the actor has been in productions like "Othello," "King Lear," and "The Last Five Years" and even won a Laurence Olivier Award for his performance in the West End revival of "Company."

From Salon • Dec. 9, 2024

I’m lounging on my bedroll reading Othello and Walter is on his cot reading Wordsworth.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen