Make Your Point > Archived Issues > CATHARTIC

Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.

explore the archives: A catharsis is a physical or emotional purging or cleansing--something that leaves us feeling relieved and purified. Catharsis (and its adjective, cathartic) ultimately come from the Greek katharos, meaning "spotless." "Spotless" in Latin, approximately, is immaculatus. What English adjective did we make with immaculatus? What does it mean? make your point with... "CATHARTIC" A catharsis is a purging of material from the body (letting it all flow out), or a purging of emotions (letting them all flow out). Either way, a catharsis makes you feel cleansed, purified, and relieved--you feel much better after a catharsis. So, something cathartic allows you to fully express your strong emotions, which leaves you feeling relieved (less tense, or cleaner and purer). Pronunciation: kuh THAR tick Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "a cathartic thing." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was cathartic.") Other forms: "Catharsis" is the noun, and "cathartically" is the (rare) adverb. "Cathartics" are medicines used for purging, a literal meaning that we won't focus on. How to use it: Talk about cathartic novels, plays, shows, movies, and songs; or more generally, cathartic entertainment, music, and art; or even more generally, cathartic sounds and images. You can also talk about cathartic screaming, crying, shouting, and laughing; cathartic verbal attacks, commentary, writing, comedy, and satire; and cathartic payback or revenge. Then there are cathartic moments, cathartic experiences, and cathartic processes; cathartic rituals and opportunities; and cathartic powers that offer cathartic release. You can say that it's cathartic to do something: "it was cathartic to yell at the screen." Or, say that doing something is cathartic: "joining the exuberant cheers of the crowd felt cathartic," "we find singing cathartic." examples: Was watching The Notebook cathartic for you? My friend Kim and I cried like babies at the end. Keeping a journal is less about the product (a record) and more about the process (a catharsis). study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "cathartic" means when you can explain it without saying "pouring out emotions" or "releasing your feelings." try it out: Fill in the blank: "For me, it's cathartic to (do something in particular)." Example: "For me, it's cathartic to empty a drawer or a cabinet, then reorganize it." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. This month, we're playing with lines of poetry that include words we've checked out together in previous issues. I’ll give you a few lines from the poem, with a blank where our word appears, along with its definition. See if you can come up with it. Each answer will appear in the following issue. Enjoy! From the previous issue: From Linda Pastan's poem "The Answering Machine:"    "I call and hear your voice     on the answering machine     weeks after your death,     a _________ ghost still longing     for human messages." Definition: very new, like a young bird learning to fly. (Hints: two syllables, starts with F.) Answer: fledgling. Try this today: From William Butler Yeats's poem "Adam's Curse:"    "We saw the last _____s of daylight die,       And in the trembling blue-green of the sky       A moon, worn as if it had been a shell..." Definition: the fading, dying, still-glowing leftover pieces of something. (Hints: two syllables, starts with E.) review today's word: 1. The opposite of CATHARTIC is A. REPRESSING B. DEPRESSING C. EXPRESSING 2. The more cathartic a letter is to write, _____. A. the longer it takes to edit it B. the wiser it is to wait a day before sending it C. the better it educates or entertains the recipient Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. B