agon

noun

\ ˈä-ˌgän

How to pronounce agon (audio)

, ˈa-, ä-ˈgōn

How to pronounce agon (audio)

\

Definition of agon

: conflict especially : the dramatic conflict between the chief characters in a literary work

Anon and Greek History

Agon comes from the Greek word agōn, which is translated with a number of meanings, among them "contest," "competition at games," and "gathering." In ancient Greece, agons (also spelled "agones") were contests held during public festivals. The contests-among them the ancient Olympics that our modern Olympics is modeled on-involved everything from athletics to chariot and horse racing to music and literature. "Agon" in the realm of literature refers to the dramatic conflict between the main characters in a Greek play, or more broadly, between the chief characters in any literary work. The word is also occasionally used to refer to conflict generally.

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The first known use of agon was in 1600

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