antiphrastic
|an-ti-phras-tic|
/ˌæn.tɪˈfræs.tɪk/
express the opposite meaning
Etymology
'antiphrastic' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'antiphrastikos', where 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'phrazein' (via 'phrasis') meant 'to speak' or 'an utterance'.
'antiphrastic' came into English via Late Latin/Medieval Latin 'antiphrasis' (from Greek) and then into English as the adjective 'antiphrastic' in early modern usage.
Initially it described the rhetorical device of speaking against the literal meaning ('opposite speaking'); over time it has retained this core sense of expressing the opposite (often as irony or sarcasm).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a word or phrase employed as antiphrasis — i.e., used to mean the opposite of its usual sense.
The poet's use of an antiphrastic drew attention to the absurdity of the court.
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Antonyms
Adjective 1
used in antiphrasis; expressing the opposite of the literal meaning, often for irony or rhetorical effect.
His antiphrastic comment made it clear he disapproved.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/07 01:24