thanatopsis
thanatopsis · thanatopses
Contemplation of deathContemplation of death.
/θænəˈtɒpsɪs/
Meaning
1 sensesContemplation of death.
an essay expressing a view on the subject of death
Origin
From Ancient Greek θάνατος (thánatos, “death”) + ὄψις (ópsis, “seeing”), via the poem "ThaFrom Ancient Greek θάνατος (thánatos, “death”) + ὄψις (ópsis, “seeing”), via the poem "Thanatopsis" by William Cullen Bryant. Although a surface analysis of thanato- + -opsis readily suggests itself and might invite a semantic expectation of deathliness, Bryant's sense of the word corresponds to "the seeing of death" rather than "the appearance/likeness of death".
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Forms
plural: thanatopses| Singular | thanatopsis |
|---|---|
| Plural | thanatopses |
irregular
Word family
1 related wordsRelatedthanatosis