proleptic

[ proh-lep-tik ]

adjective
  1. (of a date) retroactively calculated using a later calendar than the one used at the time:To make comparisons more simple, all dates are shown using the proleptic Gregorian calendar—that is, the modern Western calendar extrapolated into the past.

  2. involving or characterized by prolepsis, the anticipatory use of arguments, adjectives, etc.: The proleptic idiom “to be dead meat” uses a present-tense description to suggest one’s future doom.

  1. anticipatory; foreshadowing: The proleptic detail of the borrowed scythe clearly reveals that the character’s life on stage will be of short duration.

Origin of proleptic

1
First recorded in 1655–65; prolep(sis) + -tic
  • Sometimes pro·lep·ti·cal [proh-lep-ti-kuhl] /proʊˈlɛp tɪ kəl/ .

Other words from proleptic

  • pro·lep·ti·cal·ly, adverb

Words Nearby proleptic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use proleptic in a sentence