Catharsis and cathartic both trace to the Greek word kathairein, meaning “to cleanse, purge.” Catharsis entered English as a medical term having to do with purging the body—and especially the …

/ kəˈθɑːr.tɪk / Add to word list involving the release of strong emotions through a particular activity or experience: a cathartic experience

CATHARTIC definition: of or relating to catharsis. See examples of cathartic used in a sentence.

His laughter was cathartic, an animal yelp that brought tears to his eyes. Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Definition of cathartic adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Define cathartic. cathartic synonyms, cathartic pronunciation, cathartic translation, English dictionary definition of cathartic. adj. Inducing catharsis; purgative.

Dec 11, 2025 · cathartic (comparative more cathartic, superlative most cathartic) Purgative; inducing mental or physical catharsis.

Factsheet What does the word cathartic mean? There are four meanings listed in OED's entry for the word cathartic. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Catharsis is from the Ancient Greek word κάθαρσις, katharsis, meaning 'purification' or 'cleansing', commonly used to refer to the purification and purgation of thoughts and emotions by way of …

cathartic meaning, definition, what is cathartic: helping you to remove strong or violent ...: Learn more.