comedy

noun

com·​e·​dy ˈkä-mə-dē 

plural comedies

1

a

: a medieval narrative that ends happily

Dante's Divine Comedy

b

: a literary work written in a comic style or treating a comic theme

the ancient Roman comedies of Plautus

2

a

: a drama of light and amusing character and typically with a happy ending

a comedy about parenthood

b

: the genre of dramatic literature dealing with the comic or with the serious in a light or satirical manner compare tragedy

3

: a ludicrous or farcical event or series of events

a comedy of errors

4

a

: the comic element

the comedy of many life situations

b

: humorous entertainment

nightclub comedy

Synonyms

• humor
• satire

Examples of comedy in a Sentence

The new comedy is the network's most popular television show.

The movie includes a lot of physical comedy.

We couldn't help laughing out loud at the comedy of the situation.

Recent Examples on the Web

Paramount Pictures’ reboot/sequel of the comedy film series The Naked Gun is projected by Deadline to earn $8.1 million in its second weekend from 3,363 locations. —Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2025

Also involved in the sale was The Stand comedy club owner Paul Italia. —Colson Thayer, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025

Special guests slated for the fan-forward events — including Master Classes, fashion shows, comedy showcases, and more — are Adam Blackstone, Avery Sunshine, Joyce Sheffield, Rochelle Johnson, Rhyeem Johnson, and more. —Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 7 Aug. 2025

These are the words her character, Dr. Tess Coleman, yelled out the car window to her daughter Anna (Lindsay Lohan) in the 2003 body-swap comedy Freaky Friday. —Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Medieval Latin comoedia, from Latin, drama with a happy ending, from Greek kōmōidia, from kōmos revel + aeidein to sing — more at ode

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing comedy

• comedy drama
• comedy of errors
• comedy of manners
• cringe comedy
• high comedy
• low comedy
• musical comedy
• romantic comedy
• situation comedy

Rhymes for comedy

• tragicomedy

Kids Definition

comedy

noun

com·​e·​dy ˈkäm-əd-ē 

plural comedies

1

: a light amusing play with a happy ending

2

: a comic literary work

3

a

: an amusing or ridiculous event

b

: humorous entertainment