Katharevousa

Alternative forms

• katharevousa

Etymology

From Greek καθαρεύουσα (katharévousa), feminine of καθαρεύων (katharévon), present participle of Ancient Greek καθαρεύω (kathareúō, “to be clean, pure”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌkæθəˈɹɛvuːsə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌkɑθəˈɹɛvusɑ/, /ˌkɑθəˈɹɛvəsɑ/
• Hyphenation: Ka‧tha‧re‧vou‧sa

Proper noun

Katharevousa

1. A learned, archaising form of Modern Greek, the artificial Greek language based on Classical Greek, used for formal and official purposes, primarily written but not used for conversation. Legally displaced in 1976 by Demotic Greek.