prolepsis

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“
The number of the whole body has therefore been transferred to the most prominent portion of it by a prolepsis, such as is common in the case of the old annalists not too much given to reflection: just in the same way 300 equites instead of 100 are assigned to the parent-community, including, by anticipation, the contingents of the Tities and the Luceres (Becker, ii.

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Definitions (12)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (4)

  1. noun The anachronistic representation of something as existing before its proper or historical time, as in the precolonial United States.
  2. noun The assignment of something, such as an event or name, to a time that precedes it, as in If you tell the cops, you're a dead man.
  3. noun The use of a descriptive word in anticipation of the act or circumstances that would make it applicable, as dry in They drained the lake dry.
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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Late Latin prolēpsis, from Greek, from prolambanein, to anticipate : pro-, before; see pro-2 + lambanein, lēp-, to take.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from Latin prolepsis, from Greek πρόληψις, an anticipating, from προλαμβάνειν, take beforehand, receive in advance, from πρό, before, + λαμβάνειν, λαβεῖν, take, receive.
 

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/prəˈlɛpsɪs/
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