Meanings
nouncataphora (countable and uncountable, plural cataphoras)
plural cataphoras
- countablerhetoricuncountablehuman sciencesThe use of a pronoun, or other linguistic unit, before the noun phrase to which it refers, sometimes used for rhetorical effect.
Synonyms & antonyms
Opposite
Also see
Origin
- Ancient Greekκαταφορά“a downward motion”
- Englishcataphora
From Ancient Greek καταφορά (kataphorá, “a downward motion”), from κατά (katá, “downwards”) + φέρω (phérō, “I carry”).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan catàfora
- catàforareferring to a noun that appears later
Czech katafora
- kataforareferring to a noun that appears later
French cataphore
- cataphorereferring to a noun that appears later
Greek καταφορά
- καταφορά (kataforá)referring to a noun that appears later
Polish katafora
- kataforareferring to a noun that appears later
Spanish catáfora
- catáforareferring to a noun that appears later
Cite this entry
APA
cataphora. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cataphora
MLA
“cataphora.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cataphora. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cataphora,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cataphora.
Source: cataphora on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.