catharsis en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /kəˈθɑɹˌsɪs/ (US)
- /kəˈθɑːsɪs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
From Ancient Greek κάθαρσις (kátharsis, “cleansing, purging”), from καθαίρω (kathaírō, “I cleanse”). Coined in the dramatic-emotional sense by Aristotle.
Meanings
-
(countable, uncountable) 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).
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.
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 Dec 2020:
- (countable, uncountable) Any release of emotional tension to the same effect, more widely.
- (countable, uncountable) A purification or cleansing, especially emotional.
- (countable, uncountable) A therapeutic technique to relieve tension by reestablishing 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).
-
(countable, uncountable) A purging of the digestive system.
Saline catharses deplete the system of body fluids and are particularly harmful in pregnancy.
1926, G.P. Engelhard & Company (publisher), “News of The Medical World”, in The Medical Standard, volume 49, page 44:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| katharsis | alternative, archaic | lexicographic | |
| catharses | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
hypercatharsis · hemocatharsis
Relateds
Translations (58)
grc κάθαρσις (drama: release of emotional tension) · hu katarzis (drama: release of emotional tension) · sh катарза (drama: release of emotional tension) · sv katarsis (drama: release of emotional tension) · is geðhreinsun (drama: release of emotional tension) · mi whakamaheatanga (any release of emotional tension) · cs katarze (psychology: therapeutic technique) · pl katharsis (any release of emotional tension) · it catarsi (drama: release of emotional tension) · sh katarza (drama: release of emotional tension) · ru ка́тарсис (any release of emotional tension) · ar تَنْفِيس (drama: release of emotional tension) · ja カタルシス (drama: release of emotional tension) · tr katarsis (psychology: therapeutic technique) · ja 浄化 (drama: release of emotional tension) · fi katarsis (drama: release of emotional tension) · fi suoliston puhdistaminen (medicine: purging of the digestive system) · cmn 宣洩 /宣泄 (drama: release of emotional tension) · fi katarttinen terapia (psychology: therapeutic technique) · ja 排出 (any release of emotional tension) · fi katarsis (emotional purification) · pt catarse (drama: release of emotional tension) · io katarso (drama: release of emotional tension) · hu katarzis (any release of emotional tension) · cmn 導瀉 /导泻 (drama: release of emotional tension) · it catarsi (any release of emotional tension) · el κάθαρση (psychology: therapeutic technique) · ru ка́тарсис (drama: release of emotional tension) · es catarsis (any release of emotional tension) · pl katharsis (drama: release of emotional tension) · sh катарза (any release of emotional tension) · tr katarsis (drama: release of emotional tension) · pl katharsis (psychology: therapeutic technique) · bg катарзис (drama: release of emotional tension) · fi katarsis (any release of emotional tension) · ca catarsi (drama: release of emotional tension) · de Katharsis (any release of emotional tension) · ja 発散 (any release of emotional tension) · es catarsis (drama: release of emotional tension) · he קתרזיס (drama: release of emotional tension) · de Katharsis (drama: release of emotional tension) · fr défoulement (psychology: therapeutic technique) · pt catarse (any release of emotional tension) · fr défoulement (any release of emotional tension) · hu katarzis (psychology: therapeutic technique) · el κάθαρση (any release of emotional tension) · fo reinleikan (drama: release of emotional tension) · fr catharsis (drama: release of emotional tension) · sh katarza (any release of emotional tension) · da katarsis (drama: release of emotional tension) · ca catarsi (any release of emotional tension) · ru ката́рсис (drama: release of emotional tension) · el κάθαρση (drama: release of emotional tension) · ru ката́рсис (any release of emotional tension) · hi तनफ़ीस (drama: release of emotional tension) · ja 解消 (any release of emotional tension) · da katarsis (any release of emotional tension) · sk katarzia (drama: release of emotional tension)