paralipsis
|pa-ra-li-psis|
/ˌpærəˈlɪpsɪs/
mention by pretending to omit
Etymology
'paralipsis' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'paraleipsis', where 'para-' meant 'beside' or 'beyond' and 'leipein' meant 'to leave' or 'to omit'.
'paralipsis' passed into Late Latin/Medieval Latin as 'paraleipsis' (or via Latinized forms) and then into Middle English and modern English as 'paralipsis' (with variant spellings such as 'paralepsis').
Initially it meant 'omission' or 'a leaving out', but over time it came to be used specifically for the rhetorical technique of mentioning something by pretending to omit it.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a rhetorical device in which the speaker or writer brings up a subject by professing to omit or deny it (also called apophasis or praeteritio).
The senator used paralipsis when he said, "I won't even mention my opponent's past scandals," thereby drawing attention to them.
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Noun 2
the act or instance of omitting or leaving something out; an omission.
Scholars noted several paralipses in the manuscript where whole sections had been omitted.
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Last updated: 2025/12/13 17:21