hypostasis

noun

hy·​pos·​ta·​sis hī-ˈpä-stə-səs 

plural hypostases hī-ˈpä-stə-ˌsēz 

1

a

: something that settles at the bottom of a fluid

b

: the settling of blood in the dependent parts of an organ or body

2

: person sense 3

3

a

: the substance or essential nature of an individual

b

: something that is hypostatized

4

: failure of a gene to produce its usual effect when coupled with another gene that is epistatic toward it

hypostatic

ˌhī-pə-ˈsta-tik 

adjective

hypostatically

ˌhī-pə-ˈsta-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, substance, sediment, from Greek, support, foundation, substance, sediment, from hyphistasthai to stand under, support, from hypo- + histasthai to be standing — more at stand

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Medical Definition

hypostasis

noun

hy·​pos·​ta·​sis hī-ˈpäs-tə-səs 

plural hypostases -ˌsēz 

1

: the settling of blood in relatively lower parts of an organ or the body due to impaired or absent circulation

the face was discolored by postmortem hypostasis

2

: failure of a gene to produce its usual effect when coupled with another gene that is epistatic toward it