Katharsis
/kəˈθɑːr.sɪs/noun
A cleansing or purging, especially an emotional release in art or tragedy.
Did you know?In ancient Greek, katharsis was tied to purification rituals and medical cleansing long before Aristotle made it famous for tragedy.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kers-
“to scrape, clean, or sweep”
Ancient Greek
Greek
καθαίρειν (kathairein)
“to cleanse, purify, or remove dirt and pollution”
Ancient Greek
Greek
κάθαρσις (katharsis)
“a cleansing, purification, or ritual purgation”
Late 16th Century
English
catharsis
“purification or purging, especially of emotions through drama”
Modern English
English
katharsis
“an emotional release or purging through art, experience, or expression”