Kairos

Kairos

kī¦räs

Noun

  • A time when conditions are right for the accomplishment of a crucial action. 
  • The opportune and decisive moment.

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Example Sentences

“I missed the kairos to text him back, and now it feels too late.”

“There’s a kairos for hard conversations, and 11 p.m. on Sunday isn’t it.”

“The kairos to ask for a promotion comes after a big win.”

Word Origin

Greek, early 20th century

Why this word?

“Kairos” translates literally from Greek as “opportunity.” It refers to the perfect, opportune moment to take advantage of a situation — the stars have aligned, and it’s time to seize the day. Someone might be looking for the kairos to ask their girlfriend to marry them, or the kairos to buy a house after years of saving. In ancient Greek, there were two words for time — “chronos” referred to chronological time, and “kairos” was used to signify the time for action. 

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ˈsilv(ə)n