prophases

P3R1O1P3H4A1S1E1S1

noun

The actual reasons for going to war. These may differ from proschemata, the pretexts offered to the public.

OriginAncient Greek πρόφασις →
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Meanings

prophases1

nounprophases (plural prophases or prophaseis)

plural prophaseis

  1. The actual reasons for going to war. These may differ from proschemata, the pretexts offered to the public.

prophases2

noun
  1. pluralplural of prophase

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekπρόφασις“pretense, pretext, excuse”
  2. Englishprophases

Ancient Greek πρόφασις (próphasis, “pretense, pretext, excuse”), first popularized by Thucydides, who attempted to discern Athens' alethestate prophasis, or "truest reason" for waging war on Sparta in the Peloponnesian War.

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Cite this entry
APA

prophases. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prophases

MLA

“prophases.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prophases. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “prophases,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prophases.

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