epitasis

[ ih-pit-uh-sis ]

/ ɪˈpɪt ə sɪs /

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noun, plural e·pit·a·ses

[ih-pit-uh-seez]. /ɪˈpɪt əˌsiz/.

the part of an ancient drama, following the protasis, in which the main action is developed.Compare catastasis, catastrophe (def. 4), protasis.

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Origin of epitasis

1580–90; <Greek epítasis emphasis, increase of intensity, stretching, equivalent to epi-epi- + ta- (variant stem of teínein to stretch) + -sis-sis

Words nearby epitasis

epistropheus, epistyle, episyllogism, epit., epitaph, epitasis, epitaxial transistor, epitaxis, epitaxy, epitendineum, epithalamion

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use epitasis in a sentence

Epitasis, e-pit′a-sis, n. the main action of a Greek drama, leading to the catastrophe—opp.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M)|Various

British Dictionary definitions for epitasis

epitasis

/ (ɪˈpɪtəsɪs) /

noun

(in classical drama) the part of a play in which the main action developsCompare protasis (def. 2), catastrophe (def. 2)

Word Origin for epitasis

C16: from Greek: a stretching, intensification, from teinein to stretch

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012