Etymology 2: Catharsis

According to Aristotle, there is a purging of the feelings of pity and fear occur in the audience of tragic drama. He postulated that audiences experience catharsis following the catastrophe, at the end of the play. The term catharsis comes from the Greek “katharsis” meaning, "purging, or cleansing," from “kathairein” meaning, "to purify, or to purge," and from “katharos” meaning, "pure, clear of dirt, clean, spotless; open, free; clear of shame or guilt; purified." Most of the extended senses are now seen in modern English; “clear,” “clean,” “pure,” and “of unknown origin.” The was originally a medical term in English that had to do with emotions. This reference dates from 1872 in Brill's translation of Freud.