comedian
UK[kəˈmiːdiən]US[kəˈmiːdiən]
n
a person whose job is to entertain people by making them laugh, especially by telling jokes or funny stories
n
an actor who performs in comedies
Morpheme Breakdown
comed
ian
comed
comedy
ian
person who does or is connected with
Etymology
the word 'comedian' has a lineage tracing back to ancient greek theater. it originates from the greek 'kōmōidia', a compound of 'kōmos' (revel, merrymaking) and 'aoidos' (singer), referring to a festive performance. this term was adopted into latin as 'cōmoedia'. the modern english form 'comedy' emerged via old french 'comedie'. the agent noun 'comedian', formed by adding the latin-derived suffix '-ian' to the stem of 'comedy', literally means 'a person associated with comedy'. the semantic evolution reflects a shift from a performer in a specific dramatic genre to anyone who professionally elicits laughter.
Analysis
Structure: comed (comedy) + ian (person who does or is connected with)
- comed: from latin 'cōmoedia', meaning a comedy or comic drama. it functions as the core semantic root.
- ian: a suffix of latin origin via french, denoting 'belonging to' or 'relating to'. it functions as an agent noun suffix indicating a person.
Examples
the comedian had the entire audience roaring with laughter.
she is a talented comedian who writes all her own material.
many actors start their careers as stand-up comedians.