Meanings
nounanagnorisis (countable and uncountable, plural anagnorises)
plural anagnorises
- countableuncountableThe moment in the plot of a drama in which the hero makes a discovery that explains previously unexplained events or situations; a denouement.
His heroines never have a true anagnorisis because the moral fault is never in themselves, only in outside conspirators.
1990, Camille Paglia, Sexual Personae
Origin
- Ancient Greekἀναγνώρισις
- Englishanagnorisis
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek ἀναγνώρισις (anagnṓrisis), from ἀναγνωρίζειν (anagnōrízein, “to recognise, discover”).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch anagnorisis
- anagnorisismoment in the plot when a character makes a critical discovery
Polish anagnoryzm
- anagnoryzmmoment in the plot when a character makes a critical discovery
Portuguese anagnórise
- anagnórisemoment in the plot when a character makes a critical discovery
Swedish anagnorisis, upplösning
- anagnorisismoment in the plot when a character makes a critical discovery
- upplösningmoment in the plot when a character makes a critical discovery
Cite this entry
APA
anagnorisis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anagnorisis
MLA
“anagnorisis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anagnorisis. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “anagnorisis,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anagnorisis.
Source: anagnorisis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.