epitasis

[ ih-pit-uh-sis ]

/ ɪˈpɪt ə sɪs /

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.

Nearby words

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

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. 2019

Examples from the Web for epitasis

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