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catharsis

Syllabification: (ca·thar·sis)
Pronunciation: /kəˈTHärsis/

Definition of catharsis

noun (plural catharses /-sēz/)

  • 1the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.
  • 2 Medicine, rare purgation.

Origin:

early 19th century (catharsis (sense 2)): from Greek katharsis, from kathairein 'cleanse', from katharos 'pure'. The notion of “release” through drama (catharsis (sense 1)) derives from Aristotle's Poetics

catharsis in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of catharsis in the British & World English dictionary
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