dramatic

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /dɹəˈmætɪk/ See IPA manual

Freq #2289

Meanings

1

adj
Sudden, large, and very noticeable.

There has been a dramatic rise in house prices this year.
2

adj
Exciting or impressive in appearance or effect.

We watched a dramatic sunset over the ocean.
3

adj
Showing more emotion than a situation deserves, in order to get attention.

Stop being so dramatic; it's only a small scratch.
4

adj
Relating to plays, acting, or the theater.

She is studying the dramatic arts at college.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 adj · exciting or impressive in... spectacular

Word family

Forms dramatics

Derived forms antidramaticcyberdramaticdramasticdramaticallydramaticismdramaticitydramaticnessdramaticuledramatismhyperdramaticmetadramaticmicrodramatic

Appears in

Phrases (6)

See all

dramatic change
a sudden or strikingly large transformation

Adjective + noun
dramatic scene
a scene marked by high emotion, tension, or striking action

Adjective + noun
dramatic drop
a very large or striking decrease

Adjective + noun
dramatic irony
a situation where the audience understands something that a character does not

Adjective + noun
dramatic pause
a deliberate silence used to create tension or emphasize what follows

Adjective + noun
dramatic soprano
a soprano with a powerful voice suited to demanding dramatic opera roles

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Etymology tree Ancient Greek δρᾰ́ω (drắō) Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Ancient Greek -μᾰ (-mă) Ancient Greek δρᾶμᾰ (drâmă) Proto-Indo-European *-tis Ancient Greek -τις (-tis) Ancient Greek -σῐς (-sĭs) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) ? Proto-Indo-European *-tós Ancient Greek -τος (-tos) ▲ Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) ? Ancient Greek -τῐκός (-tĭkós) Ancient Greek δρᾱμᾰτῐκός (drāmătĭkós)lbor. English dramatic Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek δρᾱμᾰτῐκός (drāmătĭkós), from δρᾶμᾰ (drâmă) + -τῐκός (-tĭkós). By surface analysis, drama + -tic.

Topics

Describing Qualities Literature & Storytelling Theater & Performance

External links

# dramatic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /dɹəˈmætɪk/
**Frequency rank:** 2289

## Meanings
1. Sudden, large, and very noticeable.
2. Exciting or impressive in appearance or effect.
3. Showing more emotion than a situation deserves, in order to get attention.
4. Relating to plays, acting, or the theater.

## Examples
- There has been a dramatic rise in house prices this year.
- We watched a dramatic sunset over the ocean.
- Stop being so dramatic; it's only a small scratch.
- She is studying the dramatic arts at college.

## Derived Forms
- antidramatic
- cyberdramatic
- dramastic
- dramatically
- dramaticism
- dramaticity
- dramaticness
- dramaticule
- dramatism
- hyperdramatic
- metadramatic
- microdramatic

## Roots and Affixes
- Affix: -ic - relating to

## Etymology
Etymology tree Ancient Greek δρᾰ́ω (drắō) Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Ancient Greek -μᾰ (-mă) Ancient Greek δρᾶμᾰ (drâmă) Proto-Indo-European *-tis Ancient Greek -τις (-tis) Ancient Greek -σῐς (-sĭs) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) ? Proto-Indo-European *-tós Ancient Greek -τος (-tos) ▲ Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) ? Ancient Greek -τῐκός (-tĭkós) Ancient Greek δρᾱμᾰτῐκός (drāmătĭkós)lbor. English dramatic Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek δρᾱμᾰτῐκός (drāmătĭkós), from δρᾶμᾰ (drâmă) + -τῐκός (-tĭkós). By surface analysis, drama + -tic.

## AI Etymology
Dramatic is a learned borrowing from Ancient Greek δρᾱμᾰτῐκός (drāmătĭkós), from δρᾶμᾰ (drâmă) + -τῐκός (-tĭkós). By surface analysis, drama + -tic. In current use, the main senses are “Sudden, large, and very noticeable” and “Exciting or impressive in appearance or effect”.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Literature & Storytelling
- Theater & Performance

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