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antiphrasis

 
Dictionary: an·tiph·ra·sis   (ăn-tĭf'rə-sĭs) pronunciation
 
n.

The use of a word or phrase in a sense contrary to its normal meaning for ironic or humorous effect, as in a mere babe of 40 years.

[Late Latin, from Greek, from antiphrazein, to express by the opposite : anti-, anti- + phrazein, to speak; see phrase.]


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Literary Dictionary: antiphrasis
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antiphrasis [an‐tif‐ră‐sis], a figure of speech in which a single word is used in a sense directly opposite to its usual meaning, as in the naming of a giant as ‘Tiny’ or of an enemy as ‘friend’; the briefest form of irony.

Adjective: antiphrastic.

 
Poetry Glossary: Antiphrasis
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The ironic or humorous use of words in a sense not in accord with their literal meaning, as in "a giant of three feet four inches."

 
WordNet: antiphrasis
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Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: the use of a word in a sense opposite to its normal sense (especially in irony)


 
Wikipedia: Antiphrasis
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An antiphrasis (from the Greek: ἀντί, antí, "opposite" and φράσις, phrásis, "diction") is a figure of speech that is a word used to mean the opposite of its usual sense, especially ironically.

Examples:

  • "The past is strongest in its resurrection; but she will have neither." (succumbing to nostalgia; from "Three-Fold Flowers" by Andrea Duerme)

 
 
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antiphrastic
irony
Carl Abel (psychoanalysis)

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Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Literary Dictionary. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. Copyright © Chris Baldick 2001, 2004. All rights reserved.  Read more
Poetry Glossary. Copyright © 2007, ILOVEPOETRY, Inc, All Rights Reserved.  Read more
WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Antiphrasis" Read more