Peripeteia
/ˌpɛrɪpəˈtiːə/noun
A sudden reversal of circumstances or fortune, especially in a dramatic or literary plot.
Did you know?Aristotle identified peripeteia as one of tragedy’s most powerful effects, often linking the reversal of fortune with a character’s moment of recognition.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pet-
“To rush, fly, or fall”
Ancient Greek
Greek
πίπτω (piptō)
“To fall”
Classical Greek
Greek
περιπίπτειν (peripiptein)
“To fall into or encounter unexpectedly”
4th Century BCE
Greek
περιπέτεια (peripeteia)
“A reversal or sudden change of fortune, as analyzed by Aristotle”
16th–17th Century
English
peripetia / peripeteia
“A literary reversal or turning point”
Modern English
English
peripeteia
“A sudden reversal of circumstances, especially in drama or fiction”