apophasis
|a-pop-ha-sis|
/ˌæpəˈfeɪsɪs/
mention by denying
Etymology
'apophasis' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'apóphasis' (ἀπόφασις), where 'apo-' meant 'away, off' and the root related to 'phas-' meant 'speech' or 'declaration'.
'apophasis' passed into Late Latin and Medieval Latin as 'apophasis' and was taken into English from these scholarly usages, becoming the modern English word 'apophasis'.
Initially it referred broadly to a negative statement or denial (and in theology to negation of attributes); over time it came to be used specifically for the rhetorical device of mentioning by denial and for the theological practice of describing the divine by negation.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a rhetorical device in which a speaker or writer brings up a subject by denying that it should be brought up (e.g., saying “I won't mention X” while mentioning X).
The senator used apophasis when he said, “I won't even mention my opponent's record,” thereby putting the record front and center.
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Noun 2
(Theology/philosophy) A form of negative theology in which God or the divine is described by negation—saying what God is not rather than what God is.
In apophasis theologians emphasize what cannot be said about the divine, arguing that human language falls short.
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Last updated: 2025/09/21 02:20