— proleptic /proh lep"tik/ , proleptical , adj. — proleptically , adv.
/proh lep"sis/ , n. , pl. prolepses /-seez/ .
1. Rhet. the anticipation of possible objections in order to answer them in advance.
2. the assigning of a person, event, etc., to a period earlier than the actual one; the representation of something in the future as if it already existed or had occurred; prochronism.
3. the use of a descriptive word in anticipation of its becoming applicable.
4. a fundamental conception or assumption in Epicureanism or Stoicism arising spontaneously in the mind without conscious reflection; thought provoked by sense perception.
5. Pathol. the return of an attack of a periodic disease or of a paroxysm before the expected time or at progressively shorter intervals.
[ 1570-80; prolepsis prólepsis anticipation, preconception, equiv. to prolep- (verbid s. of prolambánein to anticipate ( pro- PRO- 2 + lambánein to take)) + -sis -SIS ]