[Fr., fem. of tragédien TRAGEDIAN.] A female tragedian or actor of tragedy; a tragic actress.
1851. Longf., in Life (1891), II. 221. We … called on Jenny Lind, and on Mrs. Warner, the tragédienne.
1866. Standard, 7 March, 2/6. On Thursday night Miss Siddons, a young tragedienne … a great-granddaughter of the Siddons … made her first appearance in the character of Juliet.
1891. San Francisco Chronicle, 28 April, 7/6. Thomas Gilien, the lightweight, and Mr. Scooney, the baseball player, were introduced as the two distinguished sloggers who were to have the unprecedented honor to to pummel each other in a scientific manner before the queen of all tragediennes [Sarah Bernhardt].
