Hypostasis
/ˌhaɪ.pəˈsteɪ.sɪs/noun
A substance, underlying reality, or distinct person in Trinitarian theology.
Did you know?In early Christian theology, hypostasis became one of the key words for describing the “real” underlying personhood of God, turning a philosophical term for support into a metaphysical one for divine essence.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
hupóstasis (ὑπόστασις)
“a standing under, support, foundation; later, substance or underlying reality”
Late Greek / Hellenistic
Greek
hypóstasis
“actual being, subsistence, individual reality”
Early Christian Greek
Greek
hypóstasis
“distinct person or reality within the Trinity”
Late Latin
Latin
hypostasis
“a substance or underlying essence; a theological term”
14th Century
English
hypostasis
“a substance, essence, or underlying reality”
Modern English
English
hypostasis
“the underlying substance or a distinct theological person”