catharsis

Etymology

From Ancient Greek κάθαρσις (kátharsis, “cleansing, purging”), from καθαίρω (kathaírō, “I cleanse”). Coined in the dramatic-emotional sense by Aristotle.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /kəˈθɑːsɪs/
• (US) IPA^(key): /kəˈθɑːɹˌsɪs/

• Audio (US)

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Noun

catharsis (plural catharses)

1. (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).
2. Any release of emotional tension to the same effect, more widely.
3. A purification or cleansing, especially emotional.
4. (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).
5. (medicine) Purging of the digestive system.

Anagrams

• archaists, stasiarch