katabasis

noun

ka·​tab·​a·​sis
variants or catabasis
kəˈtabəsə̇s
plural katabases or catabases
-bəˌsēz
1
: a going or marching down or back : retreat
especially : a military retreat
the Russian anabasis and katabasis of Napoleon —Thomas De Quincey
the tragic and precipitate katabasis of the UN troops —H. L. Ickes
2
: a troparion sung after the two sides of the choir descend to the middle of the church at the end of each ode of the canon at matins in the Eastern Orthodox Church

Word History

Etymology

Greek katabasis descent, from katabainein to go down, from kata- cata- + bainein to go

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Dictionary Entries Near katabasis

Katabanian

katabasis

katabatic

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Katabasis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/katabasis. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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