hypostasis

[ hahy-pos-tuh-sis, hi- ]
/ haɪˈpɒs tə sɪs, hɪ- /

noun, plural hy·pos·ta·ses [hahy-pos-tuh-seez, hi-] /haɪˈpɒs təˌsiz, hɪ-/.

Metaphysics.
  1. something that stands under and supports; foundation.
  2. the underlying or essential part of anything as distinguished from attributes; substance, essence, or essential principle.
Theology.
  1. one of the three real and distinct substances in the one undivided substance or essence of God.
  2. a person of the Trinity.
  3. the one personality of Christ in which His two natures, human and divine, are united.
Medicine/Medical.
  1. the accumulation of blood or its solid components in parts of an organ or body due to poor circulation.
  2. such sedimentation, as in a test tube.

Origin of hypostasis

1580–90; < Late Latin < Greek hypóstasis that which settles at the bottom; substance, nature, essence, equivalent to hypo- hypo- + stásis standing, stasis

Words nearby hypostasis

hyposensitize, hyposmia, hyposomatotropism, hypospadias, hypospray, hypostasis, hypostasize, hypostatic, hypostatic congestion, hypostatic ectasia, hypostatic pneumonia

Example sentences from the Web for hypostasis

British Dictionary definitions for hypostasis

hypostasis
/ (haɪˈpɒstəsɪs) /

noun plural -ses (-ˌsiːz)

metaphysics the essential nature of a substance as opposed to its attributes
Christianity
  1. any of the three persons of the Godhead, together constituting the Trinity
  2. the one person of Christ in which the divine and human natures are united
the accumulation of blood in an organ or part, under the influence of gravity as the result of poor circulation
another name for epistasis (def. 3)

Derived forms of hypostasis

hypostatic (ˌhaɪpəˈstætɪk) or hypostatical, adjective hypostatically, adverb

Word Origin for hypostasis

C16: from Late Latin: substance, from Greek hupostasis foundation, from huphistasthai to stand under, from hypo- + histanai to cause to stand

Medical definitions for hypostasis

hypostasis
[ hī-pŏs′tə-sĭs ]

n. pl. hy•pos•ta•ses (-sēz′)

A settling of solid particles in a fluid.
Sediment.
hypostatic congestion
A condition in which the action of one gene conceals or suppresses the action of another gene that is not its allele but that affects the same part or biochemical process in an organism.

Other words from hypostasis

hy′po•stat′ic (hī′pə-stăt′ĭk) adj.