tragedian

The word "tragedian" usually refers to an actor or actress who performs in tragedies or is especially known for tragic roles. These are roles in serious plays that deal with suffering, loss, conflict, and often death. In another, less common sense, the word can also refer to a writer of tragedies.

The term has strong ties to the history of theatre. In discussions of ancient Greek drama, for example, it may be used for the playwrights who wrote tragedies as well as for performers connected with that tradition. In later use, it is more commonly applied to actors, especially those associated with the tragic stage.

Even today, the word still has a literary or theatrical feel. You are more likely to see it in writing about drama, actors, playwrights, or theatre history than in ordinary conversation. It can describe someone known for classical tragic parts, but it may also be used more broadly for someone whose work centers on serious, tragic drama.

So the word points to a person closely linked with tragedy, most often as a performer and sometimes as a writer. It is a specific theatre word, not a general label for any sad or dramatic person.