catharsis

From Ancient Greek κάθαρσις (kátharsis, “cleansing, purging”), from καθαίρω (kathaírō, “I cleanse”). Coined in the dramatic-emotional sense by Aristotle.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /kəˈθɑːsɪs/
• (US) IPA^(key): /kəˈθɑɹˌsɪs/

• Audio (US):

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catharsis (countable and uncountable, plural catharses)

1. (drama) A release of emotional tension after an overwhelming vicarious experience, resulting in the purging or purification of the emotions, as through watching a dramatic production (especially a tragedy).
   • 2019 April 14, Alex McLevy, “Winter is Here on Game of Thrones’ Final Season Premiere (Newbies)”, in The A.V. Club‎^[1], archived from the original on 18 December 2020:

     True, as the show has entered its later years, there have been more inspired moments of catharsis, but fewer unpredictable arcs and story beats, as a narrative nearing its conclusion is no longer attempting to shock.

2. Any release of emotional tension to the same effect, more widely.
3. A purification or cleansing, especially emotional.
4. (psychology) A therapeutic technique to relieve tension by reestablishing the association of an emotion with the memory or idea of the event that first caused it, and then eliminating it by complete expression (called the abreaction).
5. (medicine) Purging of the digestive system.

• cathartic

• archaists, stasiarch

Borrowed from Ancient Greek κάθαρσις (kátharsis).

• IPA^(key): /ka.taʁ.sis/

• Audio:

  (file)

catharsis f (plural catharsis)

1. (psychology) catharsis
2. (drama) catharsis

• cathartique

• “catharsis”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Borrowed from French catharsis.

catharsis n (uncountable)

1. catharsis