protasis

English

Etymology

From Late Latin, from Ancient Greek πρότασις (protasis), from προτείνω (proteino, “put forward, tender, propose”), from πρό (pro) + τείνω (teino, “stretch”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈprɒtəsɪs/

Noun

protasis (plural protases)

1. the first part of a play, in which the setting and characters are introduced
   • 1922, James Joyce, Ulysses

     It doubles itself in the middle of his life, reflects itself in another, repeats itself, protasis, epitasis, catastasis, catastrophe.

2. (logic, grammar) the antecedent in a conditional sentence

   In, "I will be coming if this weather holds up", "this weather holds up" is the protasis

Synonyms

• (logic, grammar): antecedent, conditional, hypothesis

See also

• apodosis
• epitasis
• catastasis
• catastrophe