catastasis

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/kəˈtæstəsɪs/

noun

In classical drama, the second and penultimate section, in which action is heightened for the catastrophe.

OriginAncient Greek κατάστασις →
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Meanings

nouncatastasis (countable and uncountable, plural catastases)

plural catastases

  1. countableuncountableIn classical drama, the second and penultimate section, in which action is heightened for the catastrophe.

    It doubles itself in the middle of his life, reflects itself in another, repeats itself, protasis, epitasis, catastasis, catastrophe.

    1922, James Joyce, Ulysses
    1 more example

    The object of the meta-theatre is precisely that – to allow the participants to see through their first roles in it. But that is only the catastasis.

    1965, John Fowles, The Magus
  2. countablerhetoricuncountableThe part of a speech that states the subject to be discussed.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekκατάστασις“settling, appointment”
  2. Englishcatastasis

From Ancient Greek κατάστασις (katástasis, “settling, appointment”).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

catastasis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catastasis

MLA

“catastasis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catastasis. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “catastasis,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catastasis.

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