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hamartia

Pronunciation: /həˈmɑːtɪə/

Definition of hamartia

noun

  • a fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero or heroine: there’s supposed to be an action that reveals the protagonist’s hamartia

Origin:

late 18th century: Greek, 'fault, failure, guilt'; the term was used in Aristotle's Poetics with reference to ancient Greek tragedy

hamartia in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of hamartia in the US English dictionary