protases
|pro-ta-ses|
/prəˈtæsɪs/
(protasis)
first/preceding clause (the condition)
Etymology
'protasis' originates from Late Latin, specifically the word 'protasis', ultimately from Greek 'protasis' (πρότασις), where 'pro-' meant 'before' and the root related to 'tithenai' (τιθέναι) meant 'to place'.
'protasis' passed from Greek 'protasis' into Late Latin and then into Medieval and Modern English as 'protasis' (plural 'protases').
Initially it meant 'a placing before' or 'a proposition', but over time it came to be used specifically for the 'if' or conditional clause in grammar.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'protasis' — the subordinate clause in a conditional sentence that expresses the condition (the 'if' part).
Linguists often analyze protases and apodoses together when studying conditional sentences.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/10 23:32