preterition
|pre-ter-i-tion|
/ˌpriːtərɪˈtɪʃən/
deliberate omission (often rhetorical)
Etymology
'preterition' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'praeteritiō', where 'praeter-' meant 'beyond' or 'past' and the suffix '-tiō' formed a noun indicating an action or condition.
'preterition' entered English as a learned borrowing from Late Latin/Medieval Latin 'praeteritiō' (compare Latin 'praeterire' meaning 'to go past'), passing via Romance-language forms into early modern English usage in the 16th–17th centuries.
Initially it meant 'a going past' or simple 'omission'; over time it developed the more specialized senses of 'deliberate omission' and the rhetorical figure of saying one will not mention something while mentioning it.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act of omitting or passing over something, especially deliberately; an omission or exclusion.
The committee's preterition of several key reports raised questions about its impartiality.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
a rhetorical device (also called apophasis or praeteritio) in which a speaker or writer says they will not mention something while actually mentioning it, thereby drawing attention to it.
By insisting he would not comment on the scandal, the politician employed a preterition that ensured everyone talked about it.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/13 17:43