protasis means the first part of a play, in which the setting and characters are introduced. It carries an Arena rating of 1333, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, protasis ranks #1,340 of 17,151 for The Improbable, #3,910 of 17,132 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #4,457 of 17,143 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words, #4,840 of 17,104 for Most Storied Words.
protasis is pronounced /ˈpɹɒtəsɪs/.
Why “protasis” is a great word
The conditional clause (the “if” clause) in a logical or grammatical construction, or the introductory section of a classical drama establishing the plot and characters. From Late Latin *protasis*, from Ancient Greek *πρότασις* (*prótasis*, "a putting forward, proposition"), from *προτείνω* (*proteínō*, "to stretch forward, put forth"), from *πρό* (*pró*, "forward") + *τείνω* (*teínō*, "to stretch"). Unlike “apodosis” (which names the consequent “then” clause) or “prologue” (a general introductory address), protasis is the foundational premise itself, the stated contingency or the initial dramatic situation from which all consequences unspool. It is the weighty “if” upon which an argument’s truth depends, the quiet domestic scene before the messenger’s entrance, the established order that the ensuing chaos will dismantle—the taut thread of intention stretched forward into silence, where every story, trembling, first learns to walk.
Etymology
From Late Latin protasis, from Ancient Greek πρότασις (prótasis), from προτείνω (proteínō, “put forward, tender, propose”), from πρό (pró) + τείνω (teínō, “stretch”).
noun
- The first part of a play, in which the setting and characters are introduced.e.g.“It doubles itself in the middle of his life, reflects itself in another, repeats itself, protasis, epitasis, catastasis, catastrophe.” — 1922, James Joyce, Ulysses:
- A clause that expresses a contingent element in a conditional sentence.e.g.“In "I will be coming if this weather holds up", "if this weather holds up" is the protasis, and "I will be coming" is the apodosis.”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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