hamartia

noun

ha·​mar·​tia ˌhä-ˌmär-ˈtē-ə How to pronounce hamartia (audio)

Did you know?

Hamartia arose from the Greek verb hamartanein, meaning "to miss the mark" or "to err." Aristotle introduced the term in the Poetics to describe the error of judgment which ultimately brings about the tragic hero's downfall. As you can imagine, the word is most often found in literary criticism. However, media writers occasionally employ the word when discussing the unexplainable misfortune or missteps of celebrities regarded as immortal gods and goddesses before being felled by their own shortcomings. For example, Alex Shephard wrote in The New Republic in 2018 that "[Bobby] Kennedy's ruthlessness and ambition, which are treated as the family's hamartia ..., are swept under the rug of his compassion."

Examples of hamartia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Kennedy’s ruthlessness and ambition—which are treated as the Kennedys’ hamartia in Chappaquiddick—are swept under the rug of his compassion. Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 30 Apr. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Greek, from hamartanein to miss the mark, err

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hamartia was in 1913

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near hamartia

Cite this Entry

“Hamartia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hamartia. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Medical Definition

hamartia

noun
ha·​mar·​tia
ˌhäm-ˌär-ˈtē-ə also hə-ˈmär-sh(ē-)ə

More from Merriam-Webster on hamartia

Last Updated: - Updated Did you know?
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!