tragic irony

noun

dramatic irony in tragic drama.

Origin of tragic irony

First recorded in 1825–35

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British Dictionary definitions for tragic irony

tragic irony

noun

the use of dramatic irony in a tragedy (originally, in Greek tragedy), so that the audience is aware that a character's words or actions will bring about a tragic or fatal result, while the character himself is not

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