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epitasis

[ih-pit-uh-sis]
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noun, plural e·pit·a·ses [ih-pit-uh-seez] /ɪˈpɪt əˌsiz/.
  1. 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
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for epitasis

Historical Examples

  • 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

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

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