noun

1. the part of an ancient Greek tragedy between two choric songs: it corresponds to an act
2. in a novel, poem, etc., any part of the story, or a narrative digression, that is largely complete in itself
3. any event or series of events complete in itself but forming part of a larger one an episode in the war
4. any installment of a serialized story or drama
5. Music a passage or section digressing from a main theme, as in a fugue or rondo

Etymology: Gr epeisodion, addition, episode, orig. neut. of epeisodios, following upon the entrance < epi-, upon + eisodos, an entrance < eis-, into + hodos, way, road < IE base *sed-, to go