antimetabole
|an-ti-met-a-bo-le|
/ˌæn.tɪ.mɪˈtæb.əl/
reversal of word order
Etymology
'antimetabole' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'antimetabole', where the prefix 'anti-' meant 'against' and the root 'metabole' meant 'a turning' or 'change'.
'antimetabole' passed into English via Late Latin/Medieval Latin (as 'antimetabole') and was borrowed directly from Greek formation into modern English with little change in form.
Initially it referred to the idea of 'a turning back' or 'reversal', and over time it came to denote specifically the rhetorical reversal of word order used for effect.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a rhetorical device in which words, phrases, or clauses are repeated in reverse order to produce a contrasting or memorable effect (e.g., "Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country").
A famous antimetabole is "Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country."
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/03 22:44