Main Entry: hy·pos·ta·sis

Pronunciation: \hī-ˈpäs-tə-səs\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural hy·pos·ta·ses \-ˌsēz\

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

Date: 1590

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 3
3 a : the substance or essential nature of an individual b : something that is hypostatized
4 [New Latin, from Late Latin] : failure of a gene to produce its usual effect when coupled with another gene that is epistatic toward it

— hy·po·stat·ic \ˌhī-pə-ˈsta-tik\ adjective

— hy·po·stat·i·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb