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| ca·thar·sis [ kə thrssiss ] (plural ca·thar·ses [ kə thr sz ]) |
noun |
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| Definition: |
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1. emotional release: an experience or feeling of spiritual release and purification brought about by an intense emotional experience
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2. emotional purification through Greek tragedy: according to Aristotle, a purifying of the emotions that is brought about in the audience of a tragic drama through the evocation of intense fear and pity
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3. psychological purging of complexes: in psychology, the process of bringing to the surface repressed emotions, complexes, and feelings in an effort to identify and relieve them, or the result of this process
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4. purging of bowels: cleansing or purging of the bowels
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| [Early 19th century. Via modern Latin< Greek katharsis< kathairein "to purge" < katharos "pure"] |
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