antiphrasis

[ an-tif-ruh-sis ]
/ ænˈtɪf rə sɪs /

noun Rhetoric.

the use of a word in a sense opposite to its proper meaning.

Origin of antiphrasis

1525–35; < Latin < Greek, derivative of antiphrázein to speak the opposite ( anti- anti- + phrázein to speak); see phrase, sis

OTHER WORDS FROM antiphrasis

an·ti·phras·tic [an-ti-fras-tik] /ˌæn tɪˈfræs tɪk/, an·ti·phras·ti·cal, adjective an·ti·phras·ti·cal·ly, adverb

Words nearby antiphrasis

antiphlogistic, antiphon, antiphonal, antiphonary, antiphony, antiphrasis, antiphus, antiplasmin, antiplastic, antipodal, antipode

Example sentences from the Web for antiphrasis

  • The friend who presented me with him had given him, perhaps by antiphrasis, the startling name of Pelléas.

    Our Friend the Dog |Maurice Maeterlinck

British Dictionary definitions for antiphrasis

antiphrasis
/ (ænˈtɪfrəsɪs) /

noun

rhetoric the use of a word in a sense opposite to its normal one, esp for ironic effect

Word Origin for antiphrasis

C16: via Late Latin from Greek, from anti- + phrasis, from phrazein to speak