English Explanatory Dictionary

peripeteia

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A sudden reversal of fortune as a plot point in Classical tragedy.
  2. Any sudden change in circumstances; a crisis.
  3. A turning point in psychosocial development.

Pronunciation

/pɛɹɪpɪˈtɪə/ /pɛɹɪpɪˈtaɪə/ /pɛɹɪpɪˈtiə/ /pɛɹɪpɪˈteɪə/

Word forms

peripeteia peripeteias peripetia peripety

Etymology

From Late Latin peripetia, and its source Ancient Greek περιπέτεια (peripéteia), from περιπίπτω (peripíptō, “to change suddenly”), from περί (perí, “round, around, about”) + the stem of πίπτω (píptō, “to fall”).

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