parabasis

[ puh-rab-uh-sis ]
/ pəˈræb ə sɪs /

noun, plural pa·rab·a·ses [puh-rab-uh-seez] /pəˈræb əˌsiz/.

(in ancient Greek drama) a choral ode addressed to the audience, especially of comedy, and independent of the action of the play: usually following the agon and, in the earliest forms of comedy, serving often to end the play.

Origin of parabasis

1810–20; < Greek parábasis a going aside, digression; see para-1, basis

Example sentences from the Web for parabasis

British Dictionary definitions for parabasis

parabasis
/ (pəˈræbəsɪs) /

noun plural -ses (-ˌsiːz)

(in classical Greek comedy) an address from the chorus to the audience

Word Origin for parabasis

C19: from Greek, from parabanein to step forward