catharsis
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English
Etymology
From Ancient Greek κάθαρσις (kátharsis, “cleansing, purging”), from καθαίρω (kathaírō, “I cleanse”). Coined in the dramatic-emotional sense by Aristotle.
Pronunciation
Noun
catharsis (countable and uncountable, plural catharses)
- (drama) A release of emotional tension after an overwhelming vicarious experience, resulting in the purging or purification of the emotions, as through watching a dramatic production (especially a tragedy).
- 2019 April 14, Alex McLevy, “Winter is Here on Game of Thrones’ Final Season Premiere (Newbies)”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 18 December 2020:
- True, as the show has entered its later years, there have been more inspired moments of catharsis, but fewer unpredictable arcs and story beats, as a narrative nearing its conclusion is no longer attempting to shock.
- Any release of emotional tension to the same effect, more widely.
- A purification or cleansing, especially emotional.
- (psychology) A therapeutic technique to relieve tension by re-establishing the association of an emotion with the memory or idea of the event that first caused it, and then eliminating it by complete expression (called the abreaction).
- (medicine) Purging of the digestive system.
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
drama: release of emotional tension
|
any release of emotional tension
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emotional purification
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psychology: therapeutic technique
medicine: purging of the digestive system
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Anagrams
French
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek κάθαρσις (kátharsis).
Pronunciation
Noun
catharsis f (plural catharsis)
Related terms
Further reading
- “catharsis”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from French catharsis.
Noun
catharsis n (uncountable)
Declension
declension of catharsis (singular only)
| singular | ||
|---|---|---|
| n gender | indefinite articulation | definite articulation |
| nominative/accusative | (un) catharsis | catharsisul |
| genitive/dative | (unui) catharsis | catharsisului |
| vocative | catharsisule | |