protasis

About 0.07 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. noun The first part of a play, in which the setting and characters are introduced.
2. noun A clause that expresses a contingent element in a conditional sentence.

   In "I will be coming if this weather holds up", "if this weather holds up" is the protasis, and "I will be coming" is the apodosis.

Similar words

prologue beginner forepiece prolusion prooemion epitasis prolog proemium proem opening

Often followed by

and of is in to or clause with as

Word family

protases protatic