catachronism

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noun

The recharacterization of the present in terms of inexorable outcomes in the future.

OriginAncient Greek κατά →
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Meanings

nouncatachronism (countable and uncountable, plural catachronisms)

plural catachronisms

  1. countableuncountableThe recharacterization of the present in terms of inexorable outcomes in the future.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekκατά“downwards”
  2. Englishcatachronism

From Ancient Greek κατά (katá, “downwards”) and anachronism. See cata-.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

catachronism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catachronism

MLA

“catachronism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catachronism. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “catachronism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catachronism.

Source: catachronism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.