Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In antiquity, a long dress reaching to the ground, as that worn by tragic actors.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Class. Antiq.) A long dress, trailing on the floor, worn by tragic actors in Greek and Roman theaters.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun historical A long dress, trailing on the floor, worn by tragic actors in Ancient Greek and Roman theatres.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Latin, from Ancient Greek to drag.

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Examples

  • At moments, when he stopped to catch breath, the chorus of singers repeated the last verse; then Nero cast the tragic "syrma" [A robe with train, worn especially by tragic actors] from his shoulder with a gesture learned from Aliturus, struck the lute, and sang on.

    Quo Vadis: a narrative of the time of Nero Henryk Sienkiewicz 1881

  • At last he dropped the lute to his feet with a clatter, and, wrapping himself in the "syrma," stood as if petrified, like one of those statues of Niobe which ornamented the courtyard of the Palatine.

    Quo Vadis: a narrative of the time of Nero Henryk Sienkiewicz 1881

  • At moments, when he stopped to catch breath, the chorus of singers repeated the last verse; then Nero cast the tragic _syrma_ from his shoulder with a gesture learned from Aliturus, struck the lute, and sang on.

    The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 03 Rossiter Johnson 1906

  • At last he dropped the lute to his feet with a clatter, and, wrapping himself in the syrma, stood as if petrified, like one of those statues of Niobe which ornamented the courtyard of the Palatine.

    The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 03 Rossiter Johnson 1906

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