katharevousa

English - English

Definition of katharevousa in English English dictionary

A learned, archaising form of Modern Greek, the artificial Greek language based on Classical Greek, used for formal and official purposes, primarily written but not used for conversation. Legally displaced in 1976 by Demotic Greek

Hyphenation

Ka·tha·re·vou·sa

Etymology

() From Greek καθαρεύουσα (katharévousa) καθαρεύων (katharévon), present participle of Ancient Greek καθαρεύω (kathareuō, “I am clean, pure”)