What does "anagnorisis" mean?

The moment in the plot of a drama in which the hero makes a discovery that explains previously unexplained events or situations; a denouement.

What is a synonym for "anagnorisis"?

Common synonyms include: action, angle, architecture, argument, atmosphere, background.

Pronounced //ˌænəɡˈnɒrɪsɪs//.

//ˌænəɡˈnɒrɪsɪs// noun

noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Noun

1
The moment in the plot of a drama in which the hero makes a discovery that explains previously unexplained events or situations; a denouement. countable, uncountable
"His heroines never have a true anagnorisis because the moral fault is never in themselves, only in outside conspirators."

"His heroines never have a true anagnorisis because the moral fault is never in themselves, only in outside conspirators."

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek ἀναγνώρισις (anagnṓrisis), from ἀναγνωρίζειν (anagnōrízein, “to recognise, discover”).

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.