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Cathartic

//kəˈθɑɹtɪk// adj, noun

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Purgative; inducing mental or physical catharsis.

    "Shaving, my favorite activity, is very cathartic."

  2. 2
    That which releases emotional tension, especially after an overwhelming experience.

    ""So, there are real opportunities to create real change with enforcement." Prosser describes how some of that change is also cathartic to those who have been directly affected by incidents on the railway, such as the families who have lost loved ones."

Adjective
  1. 1
    strongly laxative wordnet
  2. 2
    emotionally purging (of e.g. art) wordnet
  3. 3
    emotionally purging wordnet
Noun
  1. 1
    A laxative.

    "The disease was regarded as pneumonia so far advanced that suppuration seemed to have supervened; bleeding, blisters, expectorants, and cathartics diminished the symptoms; the pulse continued frequent, hard, full, but always regular."

  2. 2
    a purging medicine; stimulates evacuation of the bowels wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

Learned borrowing from New Latin catharticus, from Ancient Greek καθαρτικός (kathartikós).

Etymology 2

Learned borrowing from New Latin catharticus, from Ancient Greek καθαρτικός (kathartikós).

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